Matchday Details
Saturday 14 March – 3PM (AEST) – Leichhardt Oval
📺 Broadcast: Fox League / Kayo
Referee: Grant Atkins | Bunker: Wyatt Raymond
Wests Tigers
1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Taylan May 4. Heamasi Makasini 5. Luke Laulilii 6. Jarome Luai 7. Adam Doueihi 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Fonua Pole 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Alex Twal 14. Jock Madden 15. Sione Fainu 16. Royce Hunt 17. Alex Seyfarth 18. Tristan Hope 19. Jeral Skelton 20. Mavrik Geyer 21. Tony Sukkar 22. Heath Mason
North Queensland Cowboys
1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Braidon Burns 3. Jaxon Purdue 4. Tomas Chester 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Jake Clifford 7. Tom Dearden 8. Coen Hess 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Sam McIntyre 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Soni Luke 15. Kai O’Donnell 16. Griffin Neame 17. Matthew Lodge 18. Liam Sutton 19. Ethan King 20. Robert Derby 21. Harrison Edwards 22. Kaiden Lahrs
Match Preview
It may be round 2 for the 2026 season, but the Tigers have the chance to kick their campaign off with a win in front of their home faithful at the eighth wonder of the world, Leichhardt Oval. But the Cowboys will be out to rain on the home side’s parade after going down to the Knights in their season opener in the bright lights of Las Vegas.
The Tigers have shown faith in an 18-year-old Heamasi Makasini, handing him a start in the centres following what was reportedly a very impressive pre-season and some strong trial form. There are no major changes for the Cowboys heading into this match up, with Braidon Burns cleared to play after getting away from the NRL Judiciary with a fine.
The Tigers come into this clash full of the optimism that every new season brings, and the fans will be hoping to build on the momentum the side gained during their undefeated run through the Pre-Season Challenge. On the other side of the field, the Cowboys put in a lacklustre performance against the Knights and will be looking to make amends and show they have what it takes to compete for a top-eight berth.
The battle between the back row of Heilum Luki and Tigers recruit Kai Pearce-Paul promises to be full of fireworks, with the rampaging forwards likely to heavily feature in the opposition’s scouting report. Both are more than capable of busting a game wide with one strong carry, and the defensive lines will be on red alert whenever these two tyros are running lines on the end of attacking shape.
Both sides are steered around the park by halfbacks who love to keep a defensive line honest in Adam Douehi and Tom Dearden. Douehi is a big-bodied seven who is more than happy to tuck the ball under his arm and test the defensive line, while Dearden’s dummy-and-run has caused opponents problems at all levels of the game, leaving bona fide superstars grasping at thin air.
The match promises to be a free-flowing, attacking affair on a Saturday afternoon in Sydney’s inner west, and these two sides are no strangers to keeping the scoreboard ticking over, having to go back to 2021 to see a game with less than 40 points between them. Expect this clash to be no different, with the scoreboard attendants on the Wayne Pearce Hill being kept busy.
The Cowboys have had the better of the match ups in recent times, winning seven of the last 10, while historically the teams are evenly split, having won 24 games a piece.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Tigers by 8 points.
Bold call: Makasini to repay the faith from coach Benji Marshall, scoring a double.
Related
- NRL Round 2 2026 Predictions & Tips
- NRL Round 2 Team Lists – 2026 Season
- NRL 2026 Results Tracker
- 2026 NRL Match Review Results Tracker: Charges, Suspensions & Fines
