Sydney Roosters vs Wests Tigers Verdict
The Roosters are backed to head into the finals with a statement win by covering the huge -24.5, line. Wests have a real struggle for points and I'm taking a chance of the Tigers not getting five points in this game.
- The Roosters have won 8 straight, averaging 28.7 points scored and 12.7 conceded across that run, with only one opponent clearing 18 points.
- Sydney are coming off a 12-6 win over Penrith where they defended 24 consecutive tackles on their own line and moved to the top of the ladder.
- Wests Tigers have lost 8 straight, and even with 87% Completion Rate and 52% possession last week, they still lost 24-22 to the Dragons.
- The Tigers team total under 4.5 is a risky number, but Sydney held them under 10 points in 3 straight meetings before last year's 30-28 upset.
Head to Head Stats
The Roosters have won four of the last five against Wests but the Tigers won the most recent meeting 30-28 last year. Prior to that the Roosters had posted wins of 40-6, 32-8, 72-6 and 40-6.
Sydney Roosters Form
The Roosters beat Penrith 12-6 last week in one of the grittiest wins of the season. Daly Cherry-Evans scored both tries, made 32 tackles and delivered the kind of veteran control that makes Sydney look built for September.
The defensive stand was the headline. Penrith had long stretches of possession and field position, including five consecutive attacking sets on the Roosters line, but Sydney kept turning them away.
The Panthers had a late short kick-off, a set restart and one more attacking set, and still could not crack them.
That win moved the Roosters to the top of the ladder and stretched the winning run to eight games. Across their last five, they have averaged 30.2 points scored and 12.8 conceded, while their season ranks are now 3rd in points allowed, 3rd in Run Metres allowed and 3rd in Linebreaks allowed.
Wests Tigers Form
Wests Tigers lost 24-22 to the Dragons last week, which looks respectable at first glance, but there are still warning signs everywhere.
They had 52% possession, completed at 87%, had 52 tackles in the attacking half and still could not get past a bottom-table opponent.
Sunia Turuva broke a 15-game try drought to open the scoring, and Solomone Saukuru grabbed a late double on debut to make the scoreboard close.
The Tigers did fight back from 18-6 down at halftime, but they also missed 40 tackles and let the Dragons take the middle part of the game away from them.
The losing streak is now at eight games, which is the fifth time since 2021 that the Tigers have lost at least 8 straight.
Their last-five average is 10.2 points scored and 32.0 conceded, and that is why this matchup can turn nasty if the Roosters score first and force Wests into chase mode.