WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
It’s over.
Put a fork in the 2023 NRL Premiership because it’s done.
The Wests Tigers are going to win the Grand Final in the first weekend in October, and end their 18 year premiership drought.
This comes after the club beat the two time defending premiers the Penrith Panthers in Bathurst over the weekend.
Faced with appalling conditions and playing with a man down for a pivotal period of the game, the Tigers overcame all adversity to prevail 12-8 winners on the night.
While that win does mark their first of the season, the club is now set to face the Dragons, Bunnies, Cowboys, Raiders and Titans in the next five games.
That dream run will roll into games against the likes of the Storm and the Sharks during the Origin period, with the merger club now all but certain to end their finals drought which has dragged on since 2011.
The only threat to a top four finish is losing at least half of their team to the Origin arena – with Api Koroisau and Luke Brooks all but certain to be in Sky Blue in a month’s time.
Given the recent results it seems highly likely that the majority of the backline will be called upon by Brad Fittler, with the club’s depth to be tested.
However, once they navigate that period, it will be all eyes on tearing through the September schedule and knocking over the Bunnies or the Panthers in the Grand Final.
That Grand Final win will come as welcome relief to the club who have spent the last 5 years of dreaming of nothing more than a 9th place finish.
More to come.
