# 2023 Wests Tigers season

The 2023 Wests Tigers season was the 24th in the club's history. They competed in the National Rugby League's 2023 Telstra Premiership. Head coach Tim Sheens returned to the role following his appointment in July 2022. Sheens had previously coached the club from 2003 to 2012. Joining Sheens as assistant coaches were former West Tigers players Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah.

## Season summary

* Pre-Season Challenge – The club would begin the season poorly, suffering a heavy defeat in the first trial match against the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland. However they would bounce back against the Canberra Raiders in the second trial match to win 36–4 in hot conditions at the Belmore Sports Ground, with coach Tim Sheens happy with his team's defence.
* Round 9 – Wests Tigers end a 273 day, 12-match losing streak stretching back into last season, upsetting reigning champions Penrith Panthers 12–8 in torrential rain at Carrington Park in Bathurst.
* Round 16 – Alex Twal scores his first NRL try after 116 matches for the Wests Tigers, ending one of the longest try-less streaks in competition history. Twal's try was the Tigers only four-pointer in the 28–6 loss to the Melbourne Storm.

## Player movement

These movements happened across the previous season, off-season and pre-season.
| Player/Coach | Previous Club | Length |
| Apisai Koroisau | Penrith Panthers | 2024 |
| Isaiah Papali'i | Parramatta Eels | 2025 |
| Triston Reilly | New South Wales Waratahs | 2024 |
| David Nofoaluma | Melbourne Storm (loan return) | 2025 |
| Charlie Staines | Penrith Panthers | 2023 |
| David Klemmer | Newcastle Knights | 2025 |
| John Bateman | Wigan Warriors | 2026 |
| Will Smith | Hull F.C. | N/A |
| Brandon Wakeham | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 2023 |
| Player/Coach | New Club |
| Luke Garner | Penrith Panthers |
| Kelma Tuilagi | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Zane Musgrove | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Jock Madden | Brisbane Broncos |
| James Tamou | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Oliver Gildart | Dolphins |
| Jacob Liddle | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Tyrone Peachey | Penrith Panthers |
| Jackson Hastings | Newcastle Knights |

## Pre-Season Challenge

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance |
| Thursday, 9 February | Trial 1 | New Zealand Warriors | Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland | 48 – 12 | Trey Peni 56' Stefano Utoikamanu 59' | Brandon Wakeham (2/2) | 4,000 |
| Sunday, 19 February | Trial 2 | Canberra Raiders | Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney | 36 – 4 | Junior Tupou 27', 74' Tommy Talau 35' Asu Kepaoa 42' Charlie Staines 45' David Nofoaluma 62' Justin Matamua 70' | Adam Doueihi (3/5) Brandon Wakeham (1/2) | 7,800 |
References:

## Regular Season
### Matches

PG = Penalty Goal
FG = Field Goal
| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance |
| Sunday, 5 March | 1 | Gold Coast Titans | Leichhardt Oval | 10–22 | Adam Doueihi 45' Daine Laurie 64' | Adam Doueihi (0/2) PG: Adam Doueihi (1/1) | 14,667 |
| Sunday, 12 March | 2 | Newcastle Knights | Leichhardt Oval | 12–14 | Asu Kepaoa 33' Stefano Utoikamanu 79' | Adam Doueihi (2/2) FG: Luke Brooks (0/1) | 13,214 |
| Sunday, 19 March | 3 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Belmore Sports Ground | 26–22 | Brent Naden 21' Luke Brooks 66' Fonua Pole 69' Charlie Staines 70' | Adam Doueihi (3/4) | 16,404 |
| Friday, 24 March | 4 | Melbourne Storm | AAMI Park | 24–12 | Asu Kepaoa 29' Apisai Koroisau 54' | Adam Doueihi (2/2) | 11,669 |
| Saturday, 1 April | 5 | Brisbane Broncos | Lang Park | 46–12 | Isaiah Papali'i 43' Jake Simpkin 63' | Adam Doueihi (2/2) | 27,553 |
| Monday, 10 April | 6 | Parramatta Eels | Accor Stadium | 22–28 | Starford To'a 23' Asu Kepaoa 49' Brent Naden 64' Junior Tupou 71' | Adam Doueihi (2/3) Apisai Koroisau (0/1) PG: Luke Brooks (1/1) | 28,611 |
| | 7 | BYE | | | | | |
| Sunday, 23 April | 8 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | Campbelltown Stadium | 16–22 | Charlie Staines 35' Apisai Koroisau 55' Starford To'a 63' | Brandon Wakeham (2/3) | 10,033 |
| Saturday, 29 April | 9 | Penrith Panthers | Carrington Park | 8–12 | Brandon Wakeham 2' David Nofoaluma 49' | Brandon Wakeham (1/2) PG: Brandon Wakeham (1/2) | 11,055 |
| Sunday, 7 May | 10 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Lang Park | 18–16 | Starford To'a 13' David Nofoaluma 21' Junior Tupou 64' | Brandon Wakeham (2/3) PG: Brandon Wakeham (1/1) | 34,568 |
| Saturday, 13 May | 11 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Accor Stadium | 20–0 | / | / | 21,013 |
| Saturday, 20 May | 12 | North Queensland Cowboys | Leichhardt Oval | 66–18 | Stefano Utoikamanu 5' Junior Tupou 9', 47' David Nofoaluma 17' Jahream Bula 39' Fonua Pole 44' Starford To'a 63', 66' Joe Ofahengaue 69' David Nofoaluma 72' John Bateman 77' | Brandon Wakeham (8/8) Luke Brooks (1/1) Apisai Koroisau (2/2) | 12,247 |
| | 13 | BYE | | | | | |
| Friday, 2 June | 14 | Canberra Raiders | Campbelltown Stadium | 19–20 | Jahream Bula 68' John Bateman 70' Brandon Wakeham 72' | Brandon Wakeham (3/3) FG: Luke Brooks (1/2) | 11,201 |
| Thursday, 8 June | 15 | Gold Coast Titans | Cbus Super Stadium | 28–12 | David Klemmer 19' Jahream Bula 64' | Brandon Wakeham (2/2) | 10,232 |
| Saturday, 17 July | 16 | Melbourne Storm | Campbelltown Stadium | 6–28 | Alex Twal 22' | Brandon Wakeham (1/1) | 8,517 |
| | 17 | BYE | | | | | |
| Saturday, 1 July | 18 | North Queensland Cowboys | Queensland Country Bank Stadium | 74–0 | / | / | 20,535 |
| Thursday, 6 July | 19 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | CommBank Stadium | 12–36 | Tommy Talau 27' Shawn Blore 39' | Brandon Wakeham (2/2) | 9,215 |
| Friday, 14 July | 20 | Newcastle Knights | McDonald Jones Stadium | 34–18 | | | 18,470 |
| Thursday, 20 July | 21 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | WIN Stadium | 18–14 | | | 7,246 |
| Friday, 28 July | 22 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Scully Park | 18–32 | | | 10,453 |
| Sunday, 6 August | 23 | Canberra Raiders | GIO Stadium | 22–18 | | | 12,841 |
| Saturday, 12 August | 24 | New Zealand Warriors | FMG Stadium Waikato | 22–30 | | | 25,118 |
| Saturday, 19 August | 25 | Dolphins | CommBank Stadium | 24–23 | | | 9,245 |
| Saturday, 26 August | 26 | Sydney Roosters | Allianz Stadium | 32–8 | | | 22,511 |
| Friday, 1 September | 27 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 4 Pines Park | 54–12 | | | 16,503 |
References:

### Ladder

2023 NRL seasonvte :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Penrith Panthers (P) | 24 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 645 | 312 | +333 | 42 |
| 2 | Brisbane Broncos | 24 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 639 | 425 | +214 | 42 |
| 3 | Melbourne Storm | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 627 | 459 | +168 | 38 |
| 4 | New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 572 | 448 | +124 | 38 |
| 5 | Newcastle Knights | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 626 | 451 | +175 | 35 |
| 6 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 619 | 497 | +122 | 34 |
| 7 | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 472 | 496 | −24 | 32 |
| 8 | Canberra Raiders | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 486 | 623 | −137 | 32 |
| 9 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 564 | 505 | +59 | 30 |
| 10 | Parramatta Eels | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 587 | 574 | +13 | 30 |
| 11 | North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 546 | 542 | +4 | 30 |
| 12 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 545 | 539 | +6 | 29 |
| 13 | Dolphins | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 520 | 631 | −111 | 24 |
| 14 | Gold Coast Titans | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 527 | 653 | −126 | 24 |
| 15 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 438 | 769 | −331 | 20 |
| 16 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 474 | 673 | −199 | 16 |
| 17 | Wests Tigers | 24 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 385 | 675 | −290 | 14 |