Alex Twal
{{Short description|Lebanon international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name = Alex Twal
| fullname =
| image = File:Twal,A 170702PB1281.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|7|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| height = {{convert|190|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|104|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| position = {{rlp|PR|LK}}
| club1 = Wests Tigers
| year1start = 2017
| year1end = present
| appearances1 = 155
| tries1 = 2
| goals1 = 0
| fieldgoals1 = 0
| points1 = 8
| teamA = Lebanon
| yearAstart = 2017
| yearAend =
| appearancesA = 4
| triesA = 0
| goalsA = 0
| fieldgoalsA = 0
| pointsA = 0
| new = yes
| retired =
| updated = 20 June 2025
}}
Alex Twal (born 3 July 1996) is a Lebanon international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop and lock for the Wests Tigers.
Background
Twal was born in Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. He attended Parramatta Marist High School.
Playing career
=Early career=
A Parramatta City Titans junior, Twal played in the Holden Cup for the Parramatta Eels and was part of their extended first grade squad in 2015 and 2016. He played for the New South Wales under-20s and the Junior Kangaroos in both 2015 and 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2017/05/03/wests_tigers_sign_al.html|title=Wests Tigers sign Alex Twal|first=NRL Digital|last=Media|date=3 May 2017}}
=2017=
Twal signed for the Wests Tigers midway through the 2017 season, from 2018 the end of 2020, before being granted an early release from Parramatta mid-season.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/tigers-snap-up-young-gun-rugby-league-parramatta-eels-alex-twal/rb9kl59nfbag1uef3ix9rh5yi|title=Tigers snap up young gun|date=2 May 2017}} He made his first grade debut on 2 July, one day before his 21st birthday, and played in the Tigers remaining eight games for the season, "putting in some seriously consistent performances off the bench."{{cite web| work= nrl.com | title=10 NRL young guns of RLWC 2017| author=Alicia Newton| date=25 October 2017| url=http://www.nrl.com/10-nrl-young-guns-of-rlwc-2017/tabid/10874/newsid/114014/default.aspx}} With 249 tackles made and only 5 missed, Twal had the best tackle percentage in the NRL over the regular season.{{cite web| work= nrl.com | title=Player Stats| url=http://www.nrl.com/stats/telstrapremiership/playerstatistics/tabid/10877/default.aspx|archive-date=10 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910082938/http://www.nrl.com/stats/telstrapremiership/playerstatistics/tabid/10877/default.aspx}}
At season's end, Twal was selected for Lebanon in the World Cup. Teammate Tim Mannah said, "He reminds me of Nathan Brown where his personality is huge, and he's a player players love to play with. He brings a lot to a team. The Tigers are lucky to have him. He'll have a really strong career in the NRL." Coach Brad Fittler added, "He plays big minutes for a front-rower, he has a great work ethic, he's a top kid."{{cite news| work= Daily Telegraph | title=Eels captain Tim Mannah praises Lebanon teammate and Wests Tigers recruit Alex Twal|author=Christian Nicolussi | url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/eels-captain-tim-mannah-praises-lebanon-teammate-and-wests-tigers-recruit-alex-twal/news-story/4b9c47f1a043fb3fafb1b8a88d82a244}} After the pool rounds, he was leading the competition in tackles made.{{cite web| work= Rugby League World Cup 2017 | title=Player Stats| url=http://www.rlwc2017.com/player-stats|archive-date=13 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113070107/http://www.rlwc2017.com/player-stats}}
=2018=
Twal made 21 appearances for Wests in 2018 as the club finished 9th on the table at the end of the regular season and missed out on the finals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/09/06/wests-tigers-2018-season-review/|title = Wests Tigers 2018 season review|date = 30 October 2018}} He again led the competition with his effective tackle percentage.{{cite web| work= nrl.com| title=Stat Attack: The most effective tacklers in the NRL|author=Chris Kennedy| date=27 January 2019| url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/01/27/stat-attack-the-most-effective-tacklers-in-the-nrl/}}
=2019=
After round 17, Twal was rated as the 3rd hardest working player in the NRL. It was said, "Twal continues to keep producing in frightening statistics that continue to improve. The Lebanon international hasn't missed a single tackle since round 10 of the competition."{{cite web| work= nrl.com | title=Hard Earned Highlights of the Month: Four clubs steal show|author=Alicia Newton| date=21 July 2019| url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/07/17/vb-hard-earned-highlights-of-the-month-four-clubs-steal-show/}}
Twal made 24 appearances for Wests in the 2019 NRL season as the club finished ninth on the table and missed out on the finals. The club went into the final game of the season knowing that a win over Cronulla would guarantee themselves a finals place but they were defeated 25–8 at Leichhardt Oval.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/09/08/ruled-out-farah-gets-last-minute-call-up-after-warm-up-injury/|title=Ruled out, Farah gets last-minute call-up after warm-up injury|website=NRL|date=8 September 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/robbie-farah-paul-gallen-private-chat-before-sharks-tigers/eebca170-6880-4a0b-8d1c-ddcc9088872a/|title=Robbie Farah's cryptic chat with Paul Gallen ahead of Leichhardt Oval showdown|website=WWOS}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nrl/story/_/id/27564311/cronulla-sharks-ruin-fairytale-wests-tigers-robbie-farah/|title=Cronulla Sharks ruin fairytale for Wests Tigers' Robbie Farah|website=ESPN|date=8 September 2019}}
On 19 November, Twal signed a two-year contract extension to stay with the club until the end of the 2022 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/04/2020-nrl-rosters-official-squads-announced-for-all-teams/|title=Tigers re-sign young gun Talau|website=NRL|date=3 November 2020}}
=2020=
Twal played 12 games for Wests in the 2020 NRL season as the club missed out on the finals by finishing 11th.{{cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/wests-tigers-season-review-peter-sterling-luke-brooks-moses-mbye-james-tamou-michael-maguire/0ee11d5b-9955-45a8-aa24-b30a25fd3d49/|title=Wests Tigers doomed to another finals miss in 2021, Peter Sterling predicts|website=wwos.nine.com.au}}
=2021=
Twal played a total of 23 games for the Wests Tigers in the 2021 NRL season as the club finished 13th and missed the finals.{{cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-fans-savage-the-clubs-newlook-logo/news-story/83f356c5f7c0d336d950d750f4e054b5/|title=Wests Tigers fans savage the club's new-look logo|newspaper=News.com.au|date=6 October 2021|last1=Conrad|first1=Alex}}
=2022=
On 16 July, Twal was ruled out for the remainder of the 2022 NRL season due to three concussions he sustained throughout the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2022-casualty-ward-round-18-sione-katoa-shoulder-sharks-injuries-ins-and-outs-return-dates/news-story/56dd6d96956fea707303721278f6c603/|title='Heard a pop': Sharks lose flyer mid-try; Tigers gun out for season — NRL Casualty Ward|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=19 July 2022 }}
=2023=
In round 16 of the 2023 NRL season, Twal scored his first NRL try, playing against the Melbourne Storm in his 116th game.{{cite web | url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/06/17/warbrick-scores-four-as-storm-fire-but-tigers-celebrate-twal-try/ | title=Warbrick scores four as Storm fire but Tigers celebrate Twal try | date=17 June 2023 }} He grabbed a loose ball in the opponent's goal after a bomb. It was written, "Twal's dry spell had become so well publicised that even the referee and Storm players were caught up in the euphoria of the moment." Twal said after the match, "It's been a long seven or eight years, playing week in and week out and never getting a try. I've found the humour in it. It was a bit of a bittersweet moment, I would have much rather come away with the result. But it was good to get the monkey off my back."{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com.au/nrl/story/_/id/37875717/nrl-round-16-hits-misses-alex-twal-breaks-duck-euphoric-scenes |title=Hits and Misses: Alex Twal breaks his duck in euphoric scenes |website=ESPN|author=Darren Arthur|date=19 June 2023 }}{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-16/blake-lawrie-alex-twal-most-nrl-games-without-try/102102150/|title=Why there's nothing in the NRL quite like a big man breaking a try-scoring drought|newspaper=ABC News|date=15 March 2023 }}
Twal played a total of 22 games for the Wests Tigers in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished with the Wooden Spoon for a second straight year.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-wests-tigers-season-in-review-tigers-brutal-review-tim-sheens-benji-marshall-coach-justin-pascoe-wooden-spoon/news-story/d1ae7fb41d93ea7dc29173a824cac5a1/|title=‘Circus act’ that summed up year from hell... and big call left for Benji: Wests Tigers Brutal Review|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}
On 13 October, it was reported that Twal had signed a three-year contract extension to remain at the Wests Tigers until the end of the 2027 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-backflip-twist-in-alex-twal-contract-drama-20231011-p5ebe3.html/|title=Unwanted a month ago, Alex Twal signs new 3-year deal with Tigers|website=www.smh.com.au}}
= 2024 =
Twal scored his second career try during the round 12 match of the 2024 season in Wests Tigers loss to North Queensland.{{Cite web |title='He's on a streak': Alex Twal scores second ever try - and he actually had to run for this one! |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-league/video/hes-on-a-streak-alex-twal-scores-second-ever-try-and-he-actually-had-to-run-for-this-one-1353905/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=The Roar |language=en-US}}
Twal played 18 games for the Wests Tigers throughout the 2024 NRL season as the club finished with the Wooden Spoon for a third consecutive year.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-wests-tigers-v-parramatta-eels-spoon-bowl-lachlan-galvin-reaction-social-media-rugby-league-news/news-story/52d07b10167bea71afbbb846921d969c/|title=‘Either the best or worst game all year’: NRL world ‘can’t look away’ from Spoon Bowl|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}
Statistics
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Pts |
| 2017
| rowspan="9" |{{leagueicon|Wests Tigers|size=16}} Wests Tigers |9 | | |
| 2018
|21 | | |
| 2019
|24 | | |
| 2020
|12 | | |
| 2021
|23 | | |
| 2022
|13 | | |
| 2023
|22 |1 |4 |
| 2024
|18 |1 |4 |
| 2025
|12 | | |
| |Totals
|154 |2 |8 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.nrl.com/players/nrl-premiership/wests-tigers/alex-twal/ NRL profile]
- [https://www.weststigers.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/wests-tigers/alex-twal/ Wests Tigers profile]
- [http://www.rlwc2017.com/players?team=385#Alex-Twal 2017 RLWC profile]
{{Wests Tigers squad}}
{{Lebanon 2017 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{2016 National Youth Competition Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Twal, Alex}}
Category:Australian people of Lebanese descent
Category:Wentworthville Magpies players
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Junior Kangaroos players
Category:Lebanon national rugby league team players
Category:Rugby league players from Parramatta