Wests Tigers vs St George Illawarra Dragons Prediction – Round 9 2025

Sitting ninth and 10th respectively heading into Magic Round, the Wests Tigers and St. George Illawarra Dragons will take centre stage at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

The Tigers are coming off a thrilling golden point win over the Sharks which took them to a 4-4 record. Meanwhile, the Dragons were no match for the mercurial Roosters, going down 46-18 in their traditional ANZAC Day clash.

The Dragons will be looking for their first ever Magic Round victory here, starting with four losses in the league’s showpiece weekend before having the bye last season.

In the search for this maiden Magic Round win, St George coach Shane Flanagan has swung the axe and dropped Lachlan Ilias in favour of Lyhkan King-Togia.

He has also left out Sione Finau for Corey Allan who returns from a lengthy absence on the wing. Hamish Stewart is back at lock too, pushing Jack de Belin to the bench. Unsurprisingly, the Tigers are unchanged.

 

Tigers vs Dragons Teams

 

Wests Tigers

1. Jahream Bula

2. Sunia Turuva

3. Adam Doueihi

4. Starford To'a

5. Brent Naden

6. Lachlan Galvin

7. Jarome Luai

8. Terrell May

9. Api Koroisau

10. Fonua Pole

11. Samuela Fainu

12. Alex Seyfarth

13. Alex Twal

14. Tallyn Da Silva

15. Royce Hunt

16. Jack Bird

17. Sione Fainu

 

St George Illawarra Dragons

1. Clint Gutherson

2. Tyrell Sloan

3. Moses Suli

4. Valentine Holmes

5. Corey Allan

6. Kyle Flanagan

7. Lyhkan King-Togia

8. Toby Couchman

9. Damien Cook

10. David Klemmer

11. Dylan Egan

12. Jaydn Su'A

13. Hamish Stewart

14. Jacob Liddle

15. Jack de Belin

16. Emre Guler

17. Luciano Leilua

Tigers vs Dragons Prediction and Betting Tips

 

Head-to-Head Prediction

One week was all it took for the Tigers to realise that they are better off with Lachlan Galvin in their side regardless of whether he wants to stay at the club or not long term.

From losing to Parra to upsetting the Sharks, a week is a long time in football, and suddenly the Tigers have gone from off the rails to on the tracks.

Tearaway front rower Terrell May is a large part of the reason why, surging to second in this season's Dally M count, after playing 84 minutes and for 228 metres from 29 hit-ups as the Tigers got home 20-18 in golden point against the Sharks.

Superhuman doesn’t even begin to cover it and with a player like that in their ranks, along with the return of Galvin, we’re taking the Tigers here over a Dragons side that shipped 46 to the Chooks on ANZAC Day.

Betting tip: Wests Tigers.

 

First Try Scorer Prediction

We’re still hanging out for that headline writer's dream and keep getting lured back to polarising rookie Lachlan Galvin for markets like this.

If Galvin is going to cross for an early try. St George at Suncorp are the side to do it against.

In four of their last five matches at Lang Park, the opposition's starting five-eighth has scored a try.

Betting tip: Lachlan Galvin.

 

Over/Under Prediction

When St George cross statelines, the points dry up. Six of St. George Illawarra's last seven interstate matches have gone under the total match points line and the Tigers aren’t exactly attacking maestros either. We’ll be backing the under total points here.

Betting tip: Under total match points.

Tigers vs Dragons Match Details

 

Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025.

Kick-off: 7:45pm AEST.

Location: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.