Home hoodoo is Wests Tigers' finals hurdle

The Wests Tigers must win in Campbelltown for the first time in 824 days if they are to keep their NRL finals hopes alive against Manly.

NRL

The Tigers have to overcome recent poor form at Campbelltown to be any chance of making the finals. (AAP)

Wests Tigers will have to overcome their own home ground hoodoo and win in Campbelltown for the first time in 824 days if they are to keep their NRL season alive against Manly.

The Tigers are yet to win at Campbelltown this year and have lost their last seven at the venue - their last victory coming under former coach Jason Taylor against Newcastle in May 2016.

Another loss to the Sea Eagles on Thursday night would make for the worst losing streak at the ground for either the Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies, before their merger in 1999.

"It's a happy hunting ground, we just can't win here," coach Ivan Cleary said.

"We like coming here, we just haven't been able to get the win.

"We're certainly keen to change that and for the people who come out to watch us tomorrow night we're keen to put in a good performance."

The Tigers must win on Thursday and then next week against South Sydney to remain in finals contention, and hope either Brisbane or the Warriors drop both their games.

The club's record at their other spiritual home isn't much better - they've won just three of their past eight at Leichhardt.

However their struggles at the grounds can hardly be used as a measurement of their form, given they play at each of them just three times a year and have gone unbeaten at ANZ Stadium home games in 2018.

"In fairness our other two meetings here (at Campbelltown) this year we just got pipped against the Broncos in golden point and then we probably had out worst game against Canberra," Cleary said.

"So we've only had two games and last year was a different year with a different team. So I'm not reading too much into it."


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Source: AAP



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