Wests Tigers vs St George Illawarra Dragons Verdict
The Dragons upset Cronulla Sharks last week and can now take down the Wests Tigers, who have lost seven straight and continue to struggle badly for points.
- St George Illawarra have won six of their last eight games against the Tigers.
- The Dragons won the first meeting this season 24-10.
- Wests Tigers have lost seven consecutive matches.
- The Tigers have not scored more than 22 points in any of their last seven games.
- Tyrell Sloan has scored seven tries in his last seven games.
Head to Head
The Dragons have dominated the recent matchup, winning four of the last five meetings and six of the last eight overall.
St George Illawarra won 24-10 when these sides met in Round 18, while they also produced a 56-14 demolition of the Tigers in 2024.
The Tigers' attack has regularly struggled in this matchup. They have been held to 22 points or fewer in seven of the last eight meetings, including scores of 10, 14, 12 and 14 across four of the past five.
Wests Tigers Form
The Wests Tigers return from the bye looking to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Their most recent performance was at least more competitive, with Adam Doueihi kicking a late field goal to put them ahead of Parramatta before the Eels stole a 16-13 victory in the closing stages.
The larger problem is an attack that has almost completely disappeared. The Tigers have been outscored 208-67 during their seven-game losing streak and are averaging only 7.8 points across their last five matches.
They had plenty of opportunities against Parramatta, winning the possession and territory battles, but once again struggled to turn good field position into points. That lack of execution makes it difficult to trust them even against a Dragons defence that has had its own problems this season.
St George Illawarra Dragons Form
The Dragons produced a much-needed glimpse of their potential with a 24-16 upset of Cronulla last weekend.
Dean Young's side completed at 84 per cent and produced one of its strongest defensive performances of the season despite Cronulla enjoying more possession and considerably more attacking territory.
The performance of the Dragons' young forwards was particularly encouraging. Hamish Stewart scored a try and created another for Tyrell Sloan, while Ryan Couchman produced a huge defensive effort and Loko Pasifiki Tonga continued his development through the middle.