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Troubled Tiger earns recall after playing absence
Jasper Bruce, AAP • July 28th, 2026 6:45 pm
Adam Doueihi has been in the headlines ahead of Wests Tigers' clash with Parramatta | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
Adam Doueihi has earned a stunning recall at halfback, days after a voluntary absence from Wests Tigers cast doubt over his future with the NRL strugglers.
Doueihi returned to training on Tuesday, five days after disagreeing with Benji Marshall's decision to shift him from halfback and storming out with the club's season on the line.
The 27-year-old arrived early to the club's Concord headquarters to catch a friend for coffee and cut a relaxed figure once training began around 10:30am.
Gregarious teammate Sunia Turuva was seen hugging Doueihi, who stuck close to good mates Alex Twal and Alex Seyfarth during warm-ups.
Doueihi made light of the Tigers' latest off-field drama, at one point joking with teammates that "no one wants to be around me".
Only hours later, Marshall appeared to relent to Doueihi's grievances and named him at halfback to face Parramatta on Sunday.
Teenage sensation Javon Andrews reverts to the extended bench after replacing Doueihi for his NRL debut against Canberra last week.
Andrews was not alone in struggling in a 56-10 loss that officially precluded the Tigers from finals for a 15th consecutive season.
He is considered a long-term prospect, but Doueihi's own future at the club remains unclear.
Marshall will front the media on Wednesday and is expected to be pressed on whether the utility will see out his contract, due to expire after 2029.
Playing halfback, Doueihi began the 2026 season in career-best form | Photo: Dean Lewins/AAP
Elsewhere, Penrith have dropped out-of-sorts Blaize Talagi for their match against Canberra.
The five-eighth has struggled defensively in recent weeks as rival teams target the ladder-leaders' porous left edge.
Jack Cogger returns from suspension to replace Talagi in the halves, but fullback Dylan Edwards (shoulder) will miss a second consecutive game with a shoulder injury.
Kalyn Ponga has been named to return from a quad injury for depleted Newcastle's meeting with Brisbane.
The Knights have named Sandon Smith and Fletcher Sharpe in the halves and Jermaine McEwen in the back row as they prepare to lose Dylan Brown (knee) and Dylan Lucas (ankle) for the season.
Veteran centre Dane Gagai returns from a calf injury to bolster the seventh-placed Knights.
Hooker Brandon Smith is back for Souths against Cronulla | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
South Sydney talisman Latrell Mitchell is still out with a nerve injury but hooker Brandon Smith has been named to face Cronulla despite leaving last week's defeat of Melbourne with a calf problem.
In-form edge Tallis Duncan is listed in the sixth-placed Rabbitohs' extended squad so could return from a hamstring issue.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad starts at fullback for the third-placed Warriors' game against Gold Coast following a foot injury to Taine Tuaupiki.
Tommy Talau will replace veteran Sydney Roosters winger Daniel Tupou (shoulder) for Thursday's clash against North Queensland as Hugo Savala ousts Billy Smith from the centres.
Jack Howarth has suffered a shoulder injury so misses Melbourne's must-win battle with Canterbury, with Manaia Waitere called into the centres.
