All the Round 9 team news!

Author: Dan Talintyre
Timestamp: Tue 7 May 2019, 03:58 PM

Oliver Clark will become Wests Tigers Player #224 after being named by Coach Michael Maguire to make his first-grade debut in Friday's Round 9 clash against the Penrith Panthers.

Clark has been named on the bench for his NRL debut after impressing in his first full season with Wests Tigers, having joined the club midway through the season last year after an immediate switch from this week's opponents, Penrith.

A Quakers Hill junior, Clark is a powerful prop who has featured in numerous junior representative sides for New South Wales already in his short career, and will add plenty to the Wests Tigers engine room this week against the Panthers.

Clark's inclusion comes in place of Josh Aloiai, who is sidelined this week.

After a disappointing defeat to the Sydney Roosters in Round 8, Wests Tigers have also been boosted by the inclusion of Benji Marshall at five-eighth after the playmaker was a late omission last week. Marshall has not featured since picking up a hamstring injury in Round 3, but is expected to play this week alongside Luke Brooks in the halves in what will be his 293rd first-grade appearance.

Benji Marshall in action for Wests Tigers against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Matt Eisenhuth starts his first game of the year after coming off the bench in the last five games, with Elijah Taylor dropping back to the reserves in jersey 19.

Taylor is joined on the reserves by Paul Momirovski and Russell Packer — who both featured for the club's Canterbury Cup side last week — along with Michael Chee Kam, who is available for selection again after serving a two-game suspension.

Jacob Liddle retains his place on the bench after a strong return to the NRL arena last week, with the hooker impressing in limited minutes against the Roosters.

Elite Members : Night with the Coaches

There's plenty of big team news on the other side of the ball with Penrith plagued by injuries and suspensions from their Round 8 defeat to the Canberra Raiders.

Star forward Viliame Kikau (ankle) has been named among the reserves and could be a shock late inclusion but his place in the pack has been taken by Frank Winterstein, who himself returns from a knee injury picked up back in Round 4.

Dean Whare is back early from a hamstring injury in the centres allowing Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to go back to the wing and fill the hole left by his brother Malakai's absence with a rib injury. Reagan Campbell-Gillard has been promoted to the starting side and Hame Sele is in at lock with Liam Martin suspended.

Five-eighth James Maloney will play on Friday after successfully beating his Dangerous Contact charge at the NRL Judiciary on Tuesday night.

Wests Tigers will travel to Brisbane tomorrow ahead of Friday's Magic Round clash against the Panthers, and will provide an updated 19-man squad 24 hours before kickoff (6:00pm, Thursday). Final 17-man team lists for both sides will then be announced one hour before the Round 9 clash at Suncorp Stadium.

Round 9 - Round 9 - Friday 10 May

Full Time

Wests Tigers

Panthers

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Wests Tigers is number 1 Moses Mbye

Fullback for Panthers is number 1 Caleb Aekins
Winger for Wests Tigers is number 2 Mahe Fonua

Winger for Panthers is number 2 Josh Mansour
Centre for Wests Tigers is number 3 Robert Jennings

Centre for Panthers is number 3 Dean Whare
Centre for Wests Tigers is number 4 Esan Marsters

Centre for Panthers is number 15 Tyrell Fuimaono
Winger for Wests Tigers is number 5 Corey Thompson

Winger for Panthers is number 5 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Five-Eighth for Wests Tigers is number 6 Benji Marshall

Five-Eighth for Panthers is number 6 James Maloney
Halfback for Wests Tigers is number 7 Luke Brooks

Halfback for Panthers is number 7 Nathan Cleary

Forwards

Prop for Wests Tigers is number 8 Ben Matulino

Prop for Panthers is number 8 James Tamou
Hooker for Wests Tigers is number 9 Robbie Farah

Hooker for Panthers is number 9 Wayde Egan
Prop for Wests Tigers is number 10 Alex Twal

Prop for Panthers is number 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 11 Ryan Matterson

2nd Row for Panthers is number 12 James Fisher-Harris
2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 12 Chris McQueen

2nd Row for Panthers is number 21 Viliame Kikau
Lock for Wests Tigers is number 13 Matthew Eisenhuth

Lock for Panthers is number 19 Kaide Ellis

Interchange

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 14 Jacob Liddle

Interchange for Panthers is number 14 Sione Katoa
Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 15 Thomas Mikaele

Interchange for Panthers is number 16 Moses Leota
Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 16 Oliver Clark

Interchange for Panthers is number 17 Tim Grant
Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 20 Michael Chee Kam

Interchange for Panthers is number 18 Jarome Luai