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'It's between us': captain backs volatile Tigers star
Will Nicholas, AAP • July 31st, 2026 2:37 pm
Adam Douehi (centre) has been embraced by his teammates following a tumultous time for the Tigers | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
The Wests Tigers have closed ranks around one of their best players a week after he abandoned them with their NRL season on the line, with skipper Api Koroisau saying the team had moved on.
The co-captain fronted the media on Friday following Adam Doueihi's refusal to play in the team's do-or-die fixture with Canberra last Saturday, which threw the struggling club into chaos and its leadership into frantic peace talks.
The stand-off arose after coach Benji Marshall repositioned Doueihi from halfback to lock to accommodate promising youngster Javon Andrews.
Api Koroisau will be celebrated by Wests Tigers fans as the star hooker plays his 250th NRL match | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
The Raiders flattened the Tigers 56-10, leaving their finals hopes in tatters for a 15th-consecutive season.
A "stubborn" Doueihi has since admitted his regret and in an emotional press conference on Wednesday he pledged to honour his three-year contract.
He and Marshall patched things up with the Tigers coach naming Doueihi at halfback for this week match against Parramatta at CommBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
On the eve of his 250th NRL game and 80th for the Tigers, veteran hooker Koroisau has often had to mop things up for the club on and off the field.
He insisted the playing group were well-reconciled, but kept the details within camp.
"I think it's been dealt with pretty good behind closed doors," he told reporters on Friday.
"I've just been the same and tried to look after the boys as much as I could."
Doueihi was firmly a Tiger again despite the dummy-spit, Koroisau said.
"I think he's good. I think the boys have been really receptive towards him as well ... we just sort of deal with that," the skipper said.
"We'll leave that (the conversations) in-house, it was between us and Adam.
"For us there's just been so much talk and so much chaos, so for us it's about going out this weekend and putting on a performance.
"Rugby league's built on that ... just keep rolling."
Wests Tigers captain Api Koroisau reflects on his upcoming 250th NRL game | AAP
The melodrama had come at the end of a tumultuous week for Doueihi which included a judiciary visit, on the back of a dispiriting season for the 16th-placed Tigers.
Koroisau was determined to accept his teammate's remorse and move on, hoping to celebrate his milestone game with a victory at the western Sydney stadium where Wests Tigers have won four of their last five games against the Eels.
"Even with everything that's gone down, I love this place, I love the boys that are here," he said.
"Just sort of understanding that we're all human being and we've got things going on, trying to get up for it each week."
