The Wests Tigers made up for their one point loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs a month ago by dishing out a resounding 38-14 hiding in the return match last night.
The Tigers first try came from some amazing athleticism from winger Kevin Naiqama. Fullback James Tedesco grubbered into the Bulldogs in-goal, as the ball looked set to go dead, Naiqama dived out, caught the ball just before it went dead and flicked it behind his back before carrying the ball dead. The pass went straight into Tedesco’s hands scored.
Naiqama again showed his athleticism 20 minutes later when he dived on a grubber and grunded the ball for a try again with very little room for error.
Luke Brooks ran through some feeble defence shortly after before the Dogs hit back with a try to Frank Pritchard. Pat Richards closed out the half when he kicked a penalty goal from 54 metres out to give the Tigers an 18-6 lead.
Wests Tigers continued to take the game away from the Bulldogs in the second half with a try to Tedesco who backed up on the inside of a Naiqama break. Then a Brooks bomb was allowed to bounce, it hit the upright and bounced down and into Brooks’ hands who scored an easy try.
Pritchard scored his second try shortly after followed by a try to Curtis Rona to reduce the Tigers lead to 18 points, but a Pat Richards try late in the match sealed a comfortable victory for the Tigers.
Bulldogs: 1. Sam Perrett; 2. Curtis Rona, 17. Moses Mbye, 4. Chase Stanley, 5. Corey Thompson; 6. Josh Reynolds, 7. Trent Hodkinson; 8. Aiden Tolman (c), 9. Michael Lichaa, 14. Sam Kasiano, 11. Josh Jackson, 12. Tony Williams, 13. Greg Eastwood.
10. Tim Browne, 15. Lloyd Perrett, 16. Frank Pritchard, 20. Antonio Kaufusi
Tries: Pritchard (37, 59), Rona (76)
Goals: Hodkinson 1/3
Tigers: 1. James Tedesco; 2. Pat Richards, 3. Tim Simona, 18. Delouise Hoeter, 5. Kevin Naiqama; 6. Mitchell Moses, 7. Luke Brooks; 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Robbie Farah (c), 17. Sauaso Sue, 11. Curtis Sironen, 12. Kyle Lovett, 13. Martin Taupau.
4. Chris Lawrence, 10. Ava Seumanufagai, 14. Dene Halatau, 15. Matt Lodge
Tries: Tedesco (5, 45), Naiqama (23), Brooks (32, 53), Richards (79)
Goals: Richards 6/8, Moses 1/1
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match:
Tigers: James Tedesco
Bulldogs: Frank Pritchard
