Behind The Roar

This week we chat to teenage hooker, Tallyn Da Silva who is preparing for his first full season of NRL after making his first-grade debut in 2023.

Wests Tigers official podcast Behind The Roar is shining the light on some of the club’s younger players over the summer, as preparations continue ahead of the 2024 NRL season.  

The 10-episode pre-season series includes five players who are on NRL Development contract and five who are part of the club’s top-30 roster. Six of these players are yet to make their NRL debut, and all but one has played in Wests Tigers pathways teams.

First cab off the rank is young Queensland forward CHRIS FAAGUTU, a middle forward who this year played Origin Under 19s for Queensland. 

He admits week-one of pre-season was ‘a bit out there’, in layman’s terms, it was tough.

The final episode of Behind The Roar for 2023 features this year’s Kelly-Barnes Medallist, Jahream Bula.

We cover plenty of ground and reflect on a remarkable debut season which saw the 21-year-old collect the Player of the Year, Players’ Player, and Rookie of the Year awards.

He talks openly about his strong Christian faith, the influence of Benji Marshall, and his desire to remain at Wests Tigers for many years to come.

Jahream’s journey to Wests Tigers is not dissimilar to that of his new head coach. Like Benji, he moved from New Zealand to Queensland in his teens to attend renown rugby league school, Keebra Park State High.

All that and more on this week’s Behind The Roar.

This week’s guest on Behind The Roar is Darren Flindell, a diehard Wests Tigers fan who also happens to be the ‘voice of racing’ in Sydney.

Yes, something a little different on this week’s edition of Behind The Roar.

Whether you’re into horse racing or not, there’s a good chance you’ll find Darren Flindell’s journey a captivating one. It’s a story about an ardent Tigers’ fan who as a kid dreamed of becoming Sydney’s No.1 race caller. 

All that and more on this week’s Behind The Roar.

This week’s guest on Behind The Roar is former Wests Tigers utility back Tim Moltzen. Moltzen played 90 NRL games across six seasons at the club before his career was cruelly cut short by a chronic knee injury.

This week’s guest on Behind The Roar is two times premiership winner and Kiwi international, Paul Whatuira.

We catch up with the former Wests Tigers centre at the team hotel in Hamilton ahead of last Saturday’s Round 24 match against the Warriors.  

He talks about the highs and lows in his football career, and in life.  He recalls the ‘key ingredients’ that took Wests Tigers all the way in 2005 and offers some sage advice to others who might be starting out on their rugby league journey. 

After battling depression for many years, Paul these days is doing some great work helping others in the health and wellbeing space.

From experience, comes learning, and Paul is quick to offer advice an wellbeing. “Life is precious. Life is short. Practice gratitude every day,” said Whatuira. Stay grounded, stay humble and give it your all.”

This week’s episode of Behind the Roar has a New Zealand flavour ahead of this weekend’s home game against the Warriors in Hamilton.

In this week’s episode of Behind the Roar we chat to Wests Tigers NRLW Co-captain, Kezie Apps.

One of the game’s highest profile female players, Apps tells her story of how a young girl from a dairy farm on the NSW South Coast, grows into a rugby league icon.  

The 32-year-old forward also recounts the day she decided to turn a dream into reality.  Sitting on her couch in Bega at the age of 22, Apps marvelled at the success of the Australian Jillaroos when they claimed the 2013 Women’s Rugby League World Cup in England.  It sparked a burning desire for her to also wear the green and gold of her country and less than 12 months later, she did.

She also talks about success stories of some of her Wests Tigers NRLW teammates who have also forged a path to the NRLW. Not so long-ago girls were forced to quit the game at the age of 12, but not anymore.   

Apps talks about her journey, the hurdles, the sacrifices, and the rewards of her stellar career.

She has a long list of achievements in the game, much longer than most. Bus as she explains, there is one thing missing from her rugby league bucket list.

All that and more on episode 24 of Behind the Roar.

This week’s episode of Behind the Roar features former NRL star Feleti Mateo who these days is doing a terrific job with Wests Tigers in wellbeing and education.