Tigers finding their future and Bulldogs premiership hopes on the line

In the latest episode of Kenty Blitz, hosts Paul Kent and Jada Taylor dive deep into a weekend of rugby league that provided both a glimpse into the future for the Wests Tigers and serious questions for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Green shoots at the Tigers

The highlight of the round was undoubtedly the Tigers' hard-fought two-point victory over the Roosters. For a club that has endured a tumultuous two months, the emergence of the three Fainu brothers—Latu, Samuela, and Sione—has provided a much-needed "shot in the arm" for the long-suffering fan base.

Reflecting on the historic feat of all three brothers scoring in the same match, Paul Kent noted that while trios of brothers have graced the NRL before, he could not recall a time when all three found the try line on the same day.

"For all the stuff that the Wests Tigers have been through in the past six to eight weeks, it is really some green shoots coming out of that," Kent observed. "Lu in at halfback, his running threat was like a real boost for the Tigers. It got them back into the game, and the other brothers, well, they are just weapons, aren't they?"

Marshall's sideline defiance

The victory also saw a defiant Benji Marshall making his presence felt on the sideline, barking orders and galvanising his young squad. Marshall used the post-match platform to hit back at recent reports of training ground unrest, particularly claims of a confrontation with Adam Doueihi.

"I like the way Benji presented himself," Kent said. "He wanted to have a presence there on the sideline and he did that. They responded the best way; they went out and they got the win."

Turbulence at Belmore

While there is optimism at Leichhardt, the mood is more apprehensive at Belmore. The Bulldogs have seen a recent dip in form, losing three of their last five matches. The news that Reed Mahoney and Toby Sexton are set to depart the club has raised questions about whether internal "tinkering" is disrupting what was a successful season.

Kent drew parallels between the current situation and General Manager Phil Gould's history at previous clubs, suggesting that constant adjustments to the roster can sometimes hinder a team's final push for a title.

"The Bulldogs were leading the comp, then all of a sudden they have gone to try and just put that little extra finesse on their squad and what has happened? It is falling apart," Kent remarked. "We do not know whether this is just a dip in form or whether it is actually an indication of internal unhappiness at the club."

Defending the players

The episode also touched on the unfortunate injury to South Sydney's Brandon Smith in his return game, and Ricky Stewart’s fiery defence of Kyle Flanagan following "disgraceful" questioning regarding crowd reactions.

"Ricky just really put it to bed when he called it disgraceful and told them he thought it was a shit question," Kent said, echoing Stewart's frustration with the media's focus on social media "clicks" over on-field performance.

As the season enters its final stages, the pressure is mounting on the top eight, with the Bulldogs needing to find their rhythm quickly if they are to remain genuine premiership contenders.

Watch the full interview on Fanatics TV.

‍