Match Preview | Round 13

After getting the week off in Round 12, the Roosters are back in action on Sunday afternoon for a clash with the Wests Tigers at Allianz Stadium.

The Tigers had a hot start to the 2016 season, cooled down and now find themselves back in a groove after a good win over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium. 

The Roosters last played in Round 11 when they faced the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium, and a slow start to that one saw the Roosters unable to claw their way back into it.

It'll be a different beast all together this weekend, with the Tigers' unpredictable strike-power something to watch out for this weekend as we look to get back on the winners list in 2016.

ELECTRIC NUMBER ONES

Nothing quite says excitement like a match-up between the blistering speed of James Tedesco and the natural ability of young-gun fullback Latrell Mitchell. 

Tedesco has had his young career interrupted by injuries and season 2016 has been no different. 

Set to return on Sunday after a small stint on the sideline, the Tigers will be thrilled to have their star back on the field. 

It's been a building year for Latrell Mitchell, but every week he is looking more and more the part. 

Already lighting up highlight reels and steadily improving his play at the back, Roosters fans should be eagerly watching the progress of the young-gun fullback. 

A PLACE TO SCORE TRIES

It's been a quiet start to the year for the leaping winger Daniel Tupou, but if there's anything we know from his career so far it's that he likes scoring tries against the Tigers. 

In Tupou's second ever game for the Roosters, he had his first career hat-trick against the Tigers at Allianz Stadium on a Sunday afternoon. 

Over the two games against the Tigers in 2015, Tupou scored a hat-trick against them at home and opened the scoring against them at ANZ Stadium. 

The young and talented winger Joshua Addo-Carr will have the job of marking Tupou on the weekend, and he'll need a mature performance if he's to hold Tupou out of Tigers territory.

WELCOME BACK

After succumbing to an ACL injury at the back end of the 2015 season, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has been working his way back over the last three games of the year. 

Now in Round 13 of the season, Waerea-Hargreaves will make his first start of the year, but on this occasion it's anything but an easy task for the fiery forward. 

Set to back up from a tough State of Origin Game I, Tigers captain Aaron Woods will be wearing the same number on Sunday afternoon.

Woods is one of the form forwards of the competition, and Waerea-Hargreaves will need to be at his aggressive best if he's any chance of shutting down the New South Wales forward. 

LAST FIVE

2015. Roosters DEF Tigers 33-8 | at ANZ Stadium
         Roosters DEF Tigers 36-4 | at Allianz Stadium

2014. Roosters DEF Tigers 48-4 | at Leichardt Oval
         Roosters DEF Tigers 30-6 | at Allianz Stadium

2013. Roosters DEF Tigers 56-14 | at Allianz Stadium

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Played - 27 | Roosters - 19 | Tigers - 8

At Allianz Stadium | Roosters - 11 | Tigers - 3

VERDICT

Since the 2010 NRL Telstra Premiership season, the Roosters have only lost one clash against the Wests Tigers. 

Those numbers don't guarantee a win, but it could be served as a stepping stone to get the season back on track for the Tricolours. 

There are plenty of danger signs against a dangerous Tigers outfit, but a composed and aggressive performance from the Roosters could see a big win on Sunday afternoon.