The 2007 Wests Tigers season was the 8th in the joint-venture club's history. They competed in the National Rugby League's 2007 Telstra Premiership, finishing in 9th position and failing to reach the play-offs.
Season summary
The Wests Tigers had a poor start to the season, losing their first four matches (three of them by very narrow margins.) The Tigers finally won their first game of the season in Round 5 against Cronulla Sharks, at Campbelltown Stadium, by 2 points in golden point extra time. Although Benji Marshall again injured a shoulder in round 8, the Tigers continued winning through to round 12 when they lost to Parramatta by 30 points. Injuries to key players continued throughout the season - Benji Marshall out for eleven rounds, Brett Hodgson out for seven rounds with a fractured cheek, and Todd Payten, Paul Whatuira and Bryce Gibbs all missing several games.
After spending sixteen rounds in the top eight, the Tigers dropped down to ninth position when they lost to the South Sydney Rabbitohs in round 24. Facing the Newcastle Knights (a team desperate to avoid the wooden spoon in their own horror season) in the last match of the regular season, the Tigers needed to win and then hope the Broncos lost to the Eels to regain a position in the eight. Although they led twice in the game by a margin of twelve points, the Tigers' finished an inconsistent season on a disappointing loss to the Knights, 24–26 at Telstra Stadium, and in 9th position on the ladder.
2007 Season results 2007 Season ResultsRoundOpponentResultDateVenueCrowdRefereePosition/16 1 Melbourne Storm Loss 16 March 2007 Olympic Park (A) 13,535 Sean Hampstead10th 18 - Storm (Tries: Jeremy Smith, Hoffman, Folau; Goals: Cameron Smith 3) 16 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Moodie, Harrison, Whatuira; Goals: Marshall 2) 2 Manly Sea Eagles Loss 24 March 2007 Leichhardt Oval (H) 15,185 Tony Archer11th 8 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Farah; Goals: Marshall 2) 19 - Sea Eagles (Tries: Watmough, Robertson, Haldon; Goals: Lyon 3; Field Goals: Monaghan) 3 Parramatta Eels Loss 30 March 2007 Parramatta Stadium (A) 18,142 Steve Clark 14th 22 - Eels (Tries: Reddy, Tim Smith, Mateo; Goals: Burt 5) 20 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Galloway, Harrison, Marshall; Goals: Marshall 4) in golden point extra time.4 North Queensland Cowboys Loss 7 April 2007 Dairy Farmers Stadium (A) 21,879 Jarred Maxwell15th 25 - Cowboys (Tries: Graham 2, Sweeney, Bowen; Goals: Thurston 4; Field Goals: Bowen) 24 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Fitzhenry, Farah, Collis, Whatuira; Goals: Marshall 4)5 Cronulla Sharks Win 15 April 2007 Campbelltown Stadium (H) 17,566 Sean Hampstead14th 14 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Fitzhenry, Marshall; Goals: Marshall 3) 12 - Sharks (Tries: Simmons, Bird; Goals: Covell 2) in golden point extra time. 6 Bye 13th7 Bulldogs Win 27 April 2007 Telstra Stadium (A) 18,066 Shayne Hayne9th 18 - Bulldogs (Tries: Mason, Williams, El Masri; Goals: El Masri 3) 34 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Collis 2, Morris, Marshall, Fitzhenry, Heighington; Goals: Marshall 5) 8 Melbourne Storm Win 5 May 2007 Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium (H) 19,111 Tony Archer7th 30 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Lawrence 2, Farah, Galea; Goals: Collis 7) 12 - Storm (Tries: King, Johnson; Goals: Cameron Smith 2 ) 9 St George Illawarra Dragons Win 13 May 2007 Telstra Stadium (H) 13,625 Ben Cummins5th 27 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Fulton 2, Galea, Lawrence, Fitzhenry; Goals: Hodgson 3; Field Goals: Morris) 8 - Dragons (Tries: Stanley; Goals: Head 2) 10 New Zealand Warriors Win 20 May 2007 Mount Smart Stadium (A) 10,282 Steve Clark 4th 26 - Warriors (Tries: Vatuvei, Ropati, Mannering, Ah Van, Hohaia; Goals: Martin 3) 30 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Fulton, Te'o, Morris, Lawrence; Goals: Hodgson 3; Field Goals: Hodgson 7)11 Penrith Panthers Win 27 May 2007 CUA Stadium (A) 17,337 Jarred Maxwell3rd 24 - Panthers (Tries: Frank Puletua, Gordon, Daniela, Youngquest; Goals: Gordon 2, Wallace 2) 25 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Fulton, Fitzhenry, Lawrence, Galea; Goals: Hodgson 4; Field Goals: Farah)12 Parramatta Eels Loss 4 June 2007 Telstra Stadium (H) 22,245 Ben Cummins5th 8 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Lawrence; Goals: Hodgson 2) 38 - Eels (Tries: Mateo 2, Grothe, Hayne, Finch, Ben Smith, Burt; Goals: Burt 5) 13 Newcastle Knights Win 10 June 2007 Energy Australia Stadium (A) 13,609 Sean Hampstead 3rd 14 - Knights (Tries: Tighe 2, Paterson; Goals: Paterson) 33 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Farah, Heighington, Collis, Tuiaki, Fulton; Goals: Collis 6; Field Goals: Farah 1)14 Gold Coast Titans Loss 17 June 2007 Campbelltown Stadium (H) 13,451 Tony Archer4th 14 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Whatuira, Lawrence, Tuiaki; Goals: Collis) 16 - Titans (Tries: Rogers 2, Lewis; Goals: Rogers 2) 15 Brisbane Broncos Loss 25 June 2007 Suncorp Stadium (A) 29,364 Shayne Hayne6th 48 - Broncos (Tries: Hunt 3, Hodges 2, Lockyer, Carroll, Shaun Berrigan, Michaels; Goals: Parker 4, Ennis 2) 18 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Farah, Morris, Lawrence; Goals: Farah 3) 16 Canberra Raiders Win 1 July 2007 Canberra Stadium (A) 12,598 Steve Clark5th 16 - Raiders (Tries: Milne 2, Tilse; Goals: Carney 2) 22 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Whatuira 2, Morris, Lawrence; Goals: Farah 3) 17 Penrith Panthers Win 6 July 2007 Telstra Stadium (H) 12,395 Ben Cummins5th 43 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Lawrence 3, Payten 2, Flanagan, Ryan, Collis; Goals: Farah 5; Field Goals: Farah) 26 - Panthers (Tries: Pritchard 2, Wallace, Lewis; Goals: Youngquest 5)18 Manly Sea Eagles Loss 13 July 2007 Brookvale Oval (A) 15,288 Steve Clark6th 34 - Sea Eagles (Tries: Menzies 2, Glen Stewart, Monaghan, Robertson, Bryant; Goals: Orford 5) 4 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Flanagan) 19 New Zealand Warriors Loss 22 July 2007 Campbelltown Stadium (H) 14,012 Paul Simpkins8th 16 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Collis, Heighington, Lawrence, Tuiaki) 28 - Warriors (Tries: Rovelli 2, Ropati, Koopu, Luck; Goals: Witt 4) 20 North Queensland Cowboys Win 30 July 2007 Leichhardt Oval (H) 17,101 Shayne Hayne7th 54 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Harrison 2, Tuiaki, Morris, Hodgson, Heighington, Fitzhenry, Farah, Galea, Halatau; Goals: Hodgson 2, Marshall 4, Farah) 10 - Cowboys (Tries: Justin Smith, Bartlett; Goals: Thurston) 21 Gold Coast Titans Loss 4 August 2007 Carrara Stadium (A) 17,257 Steve Clark8th 30 - Titans (Tries: Cooper, Webster, Delaney, Lewis, Laffranchi; Goals: Delaney 5) 14 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki 2, Lawrence; Goals: Marshall)22 Sydney Roosters Loss 10 August 2007 Telstra Stadium (H) 25,166 Tony Archer8th 22 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Farah, Fulton, Te'o; Goals: Marshall 5) 26 - Roosters (Tries: Monaghan 2, Roberts 2, Aubusson; Goals: Roberts 3) in golden point extra time. 23 Cronulla Sharks Win 18 August 2007 Toyota Park (A) 12,964 Paul Simpkins7th 29 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Fitzhenry, Marshall, Tuiaki, Hodgson, Lawrence; Goals: Marshall 4; Field Goals: Farah) 28 - Sharks (Tries: Covell 2, Bird, Pomeroy, Taulapapa; Goals: Covell 4)24 South Sydney Rabbitohs Loss 26 August 2007 Leichhardt Oval (H) 20,232 Tony Archer9th 12 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Fitzhenry, Tuiaki; Goals: Marshall 2) 37 - Rabbitohs (Tries: Gordon 2, Asotasi, J Smith, Sutton, Widders; Goals: Williams 6; Field Goals: Williams))25 Newcastle Knights Loss 31 August 2007 Telstra Stadium (H) 13,446 Paul Simpkins 9th 24 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Marshall 2, Morris, Lawrence; Goals: Marshall 4) 26 - Knights (Tries: Vuna 2, Paterson, Gidley; Goals: Gidley 5)
2007 Season ladder
Players Used
As at 22 July 2007: (Debut: Round 19)
(Debut: Round 16)
(Debut: Round 8)
(Debut: Round 1)
(Debut: Round 9)
Gains and losses 2007 Player Movements Gains LossesPlayerPrevious clubPlayerNew Club John Morris Parramatta Eels Jamahl Lolesi Huddersfield Giants Peter Lewis Parramatta Eels John Skandalis Huddersfield Giants Danny Galea Penrith Panthers Shane Elford Huddersfield Giants Tom Haberecht St. George Illawarra Dragons Anthony Laffranchi Gold Coast Titans Luke Harlen Cronulla Sharks Scott Prince Gold Coast Titans Jason Moodie Cessnock Sam Harris NSW Waratahs Michael Crockett New Zealand Warriors Isaac de Gois Cronulla Sharks Rangi Chase St. George Illawarra Dragons
References