Behind The Roar

On this week’s episode of BTR we chat to Wests Tigers Player #291 Tim Johannssen, who made his NRL debut last week against the Cowboys. BTR is proudly sponsored by Pro Wrestling Australia. This is a story about a young fella who walked away from rugby league, giving up on a childhood dream, who was then called back to give it another crack. A young man of strong faith, Tim reveals how he wandered down a wayward path, making poor choices, and taking wrong turns. A strong and talented athlete, the Swiss-born 22-year-old had attracted plenty of interest from NRL scouts, but the hunger had gone. Tim talks openly about his struggles, his faith, his family, and the tumultuous journey that landed him at Leichhardt for his NRL debut in Round 22. It’s a captivating story about belief, self-knowledge, resilience, and hard work.

In episode 60 of Behind The Roar we speak to Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson.

On this week’s episode of Behind the Roar we chat to the Fainu brothers who last weekend became the first trio of brothers to play NRL together for Wests Tigers.

It’s not often three brothers all get to play NRL, yet alone at the same time, and in the same team. So rare in fact, only ten times have three or more brothers played together in the same team in the past 100 years.Last weekend Latu, Samuela and Sione Fainu created a slice of history when they suited up together against the Rabbitohs in Gosford, and they’ll be at it again on Friday against the Warriors in Auckland.

Two of them made their NRL debut with Wests Tigers this season, while the other made his NRL debut against Wests Tigers last season.In an odd twist of fate, Latu and Sione played their very first NRL game against the same opposition, at the very same venue, yet some seven weeks apart.

We talk footy, family, and a whole lot more. Three good young men who differ in shape, size and personality, but who share the strongest of bonds as brothers.

This week’s episode of Behind The Roar is a special State of Origin preview as we count down to Wednesday’s series decider at Suncorp Stadium.

In this episode of BTR we speak to NRLW co-captains Botille Vette-Welsh and Kezie Apps.

On this week’s episode of Behind the Roar we chat to Wests Tigers Player #281, Justin Olam, ahead of the team’s Round 18 match against Melbourne Storm.Adored in his homeland Papua New Guinea, Olam has also developed a big following here in Australia since his arrival in 2017, following six seasons with the Storm.

‘Juzzie’, who didn’t start playing rugby league until he went to university, tells us about how he had to learn on the run when he first joined Melbourne, admitting he knew very little about the game.

It was a steep learning curve, eventually developing one of the most powerful centres in the game, admired for his sheer ferocity, and feared for his ------ We talk about the evolution of footy in PNG, the chat with Benji that lured him to Wests Tigers, and the ‘little things’ in a game which have big consequences.

We also chat about his upbringing, his education, his love of nature and a whole lot more.

On this episode of Behind the Roar we speak to debutants, Jordan Miller, Heath Mason & Luke Laulilii.

This week’s guests on Behind The Roar are three rising stars who have recently made their NRL debuts with Wests Tigers, as we celebrate Junior League Appreciation Round.Joining us for episode 54 of BTR is Wests Tigers Player #270 Tallyn Da Silva, WT Player # 275 Kit Laulilii, and WT Player # 277 Lachie Galvin.All three are Macarthur juniors who have played with and against each other for many years and have followed a similar path in their rugby league journeys. They are part of a larger group of Campbelltown-based players who created a slice of history two years ago, winning the first ever Harold Matthews premiership for Western Suburbs Magpies.We have a bit of fun talking about junior footy, life away from footy, and the people who played an important role in their formative years. It’s an easy chat with three great young fellas who also happen to be damn good footy players, as we look ahead Sunday’s Junior League Appreciation Round match against the Raiders at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.

This week’s guest on Behind The Roar is Wests Tigers Player #94 Keith Galloway. One of the best props to have pulled on a Wests Tigers jersey, Galloway played 173 games for Wests Tigers over 10 seasons after joining the club from Cronulla Sharks in 2006.

A good old-fashioned prop who had a cult following in his heyday, Galloway reflects on the good times and the tough times in his days at the Wests Tigers. Still in great shape, the heavily tattooed big fella explains how he still misses playing the game, but says it helps having a big group of ex-NRL players as current workmates.He talks of the camaraderie of his playing days, his life post football, his brief experiment with an acting career, and his love of Leichhardt Oval.

Galloway enjoyed some really good years in a team which fell narrowly short of the grand final on a couple of occasions, and which regularly pressed for the top-eight.

He also talks about the latter years in his time at the Tigers when things weren’t going so smoothly, so he knows a thing or two about the pressure that mounts during a losing streak.

Offering some sage advice to the current group of Wests Tigers, he says to ignore the outside noise, and keep working hard.“You’ve just got to keep it between these four walls, you just got to work at it together,” said Galloway.“You can't listen to too much outside noise. You start reading all these headlines, all these people on social media hammering you, things like that.“You just got to stick together, keep turning up. I know it's hard. I've been there.But the only way out is to stay positive, keep believing and keep working hard.”Galloway doubled down on those who are relentless with their criticism of the group.“As long as the effort's there, the supporters be proud.

“Some of these media outlets, there's blokes on TV that I don't think they've even played games and they're throwing barbs at the boys and things like that.“They're just like parasites. My advice is to not let them rattle you.“Keep believing and keep working hard.”

This week’s guest on Behind The Roar is former Dragons’ winger Alex Lobb, who will make his first starting appearance in the NRL on Friday night in Wollongong.

Lobb, a 22-year-old Wollongong local, joined Wests Tigers in the off-season looking for an opportunity. 

He was unexpectedly called on to make his NRL debut in the team’s most recent match against the Cowboys in Townsville.

It was an unlikely debut with little fuss or fanfare in the lead up to the game.  As Alex explains, it was not how he thought it would happen, but he’s just stoked that it did.

His debut milestone was belatedly celebrated this week at the club, with his family on hand at the Zurich Centre on Tuesday to present Alex with his very first NRL jersey.

They will be there on Friday night too when Alex gets to run out in the starting side for the very first time, against of all sides his former club, and just up the road from home.

We chat to Lobby about his first 12 minutes in first grade, about his pathway to Wests Tigers after switching from soccer to league, and about how he’s enjoyed his first season at Concord despite the daily journey from the Gong.

We also dig a bit deeper into the mindset of a player and how he prepares for a match when named as 18th man.

Alex is living proof that you’ve got prepare as if you’re going to play, and you just never know, 18th man or not, you might even make your NRL debut!