Wests Tigers are desperate to keep in touch with the top eight when they travel to Kogarah to take on the resurgent Dragons.
Benji Marshall’s men suffered a tense 12-6 loss to the Knights last weekend and need to quickly rebound if they want to keep their finals hopes alive.
The Tigers currently sit 11th, four points outside the top eight with 10 rounds remaining in the competition.
The Tigers will enter Saturday’s match as favourites but the Dragons have shown plenty of improvement in the past two weeks and narrowly fell short of victory in Canberra last Sunday.
A crop of young forwards has laid the foundation and have provided fans with a glimpse into the future. The Couchman twins, Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart and Loko Pasifiki Tonga continue to lead the way up front and will likely form the nucleus of the pack for many years.
Out wide, Tyrell Sloan remains one of the most exciting attacking players on his day while Valentine Holmes boasts skills refined over a lengthy NRL career.
St George Illawarra have struggled to score points this season but they are determined to change that on Saturday night.
Team News
Dragons: No changes to the side that went down narrowly to the Raiders last Sunday. Centre Moses Suli is listed among the reserves as he looks to return from the hip injury that has seen him miss the past two matches.
Wests Tigers: Skipper Jarome Luai has suffered delayed concussion symptoms following the Knights game and will be rested. He is replaced at five-eighth by Jock Madden, who returns from a concussion suffered in Round 16. The loss of Taylan May (shoulder) sees youngster Heamasi Makasini promoted to start at centre. Lock Alex Twal returns after four games out with a knee injury so Alex Seyfarth reverts to the bench. Charlie Murray joins the six-man bench in place of Mavrik Geyer.
Stat Attack
The Dragons have won three of their last four games against Wests Tigers.
Wests Tigers have won only two from seven at St George Venues Jubilee Stadium.
The Dragons have been outscored 62-12 in two games at Kogarah this season.
Wests Tigers prop Bunty Afoa will make his 150th NRL appearance.
Dragons centre Valentine Holmes has scored six tries in his last four games against Wests Tigers.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
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