Mt Smart Stadium will play host to Sunday's Round 16 NRL game between New Zealand Warriors and Wests Tigers. The game kicks off at 4:00 pm with New Zealand Warriors heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the New Zealand Warriors vs. Wests Tigers game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday July 3, 2022 at 4:00 pm

Where: Mt Smart Stadium

Bet: Bet On This Match HERE

New Zealand Warriors vs Wests Tigers Odds

New Zealand Warriors vs Wests Tigers Preview

Sentimental and head-to-head favouritism lies with the Warriors as they return to their Mt Smart Stadium home for the first time since Round 24, 2019.

The nomadic Warriors have skidded to second-last courtesy of a seven-match losing streak, with Nathan Brown’s exit sparking only minor improvement in big losses to Cronulla (38-16) and Penrith (40-6) under Stacey Jones.

But Ronaldo Mulitalo made a strong NRL debut against the Panthers, while Jones has pulled the right rein by naming Euan Atiken in the centres for the first time in almost a year at Adam Pompey’s expense this week.

The 14th-placed Wests Tigers are in a similar hole, losing six of their last seven and crashing heavily to Manly (30-4) and Canterbury (36-12) since Brett Kimmorley took the reins from Michael Maguire in the same week as the Warriors’ coaching change.

Rumours swept the game during the rep bye that Luke Brooks had been axed, but he was named on Tuesday. James Roberts and Stefano Utoikamanu return from injury, but Alex Twal (concussion) is out. Adam Doueihi again comes off the bench while Fa’amanu Brown is set to start at hooker.

David Nofoaluma scored four tries for Samoa last weekend and will be eager to add to the eight tries he has bagged in 11 career games against the Warriors.

The Warriors have won their last four against the Tigers, with each decided by six points or less. The battling outfits played out an extraordinarily ugly contest at Campbelltown in Round 3, the Warriors bumbling their way to a 16-12 win after a try-less second half.

Harnessing the emotion of the occasion and the sell-out crowd shapes as a tricky balancing act for a Warriors side down on confidence and playing terrible footy. But it should ultimately be a net positive – particularly for the likes of down-on-form linchpin Shaun Johnson – and the Tigers may struggle to deal with the electric atmosphere.

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