WESTS TIGERS 26 MANLY SEA EAGLES 12
TOM SMITH, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sunday
WESTS condemned the Sea Eagles to their fourth straight defeat, all but ending Manly’s top-eight hopes.
Tolutau Koula scored inside 60 seconds, but Benji Marshall’s side controlled proceedings from there.
With Terrell May laying the foundation up front, Wests halves Jarome Luai and Adam Doueihi guided the Tigers to their fourth win from their last six starts, meaning a play-off berth is still a faint mathematical possibility.
Opposing centres Starford To’a and Reuben Garrick both succumbed to shoulder injuries.
Needing a win to stay in touch with the eight, Manly missed Jake Trbojevic (concussion) but regained brother Ben in the back row, while other brother Tom remained at fullback despite the return of Lehi Hopoate (shoulder).
Koula shrugged off five Tigers for a stunning early opener, before the Tigers took control.
Terrell May’s offload created the space that Doueihi turned into four points, then after the Bunker waved away Samuela Fainu’s penalty-try claim, Jeral Skelton scampered into the right corner to put Wests in front.
The Sea Eagles fought back after the restart, but Tommy Talau’s double movement chalked off their best look at the whitewash.
Instead, Sunia Turuva slashed through and Luai sent Taylan May streaking away, before a Doueihi penalty-goal locked up the result.
Matthew Lodge’s 79th-minute barge-over was too little, too late.
TIGERS: 1 Jahream Bula, 2 Sunia Turuva, 3 Taylan May, 4 Starford To’a, 5 Jeral Skelton, 6 Jarome Luai, 7 Adam Doueihi, 8 Terrell May, 9 Api Koroisau, 10 Fonua Pole, 11 Samuela Fainu, 12 Sione Fainu, 13 Alex Twal. Subs (all used): 14 Latu Fainu, 15 Royce Hunt, 16 Charlie Murray, 17 Tony Sukkar
Tries: Doueihi (11), Skelton (33), Turuva (54), Taylan May (62); Goals: Doueihi 5/5
SEA EAGLES: 1 Tom Trbojevic, 2 Jason Saab, 3 Tolutau Koula, 4 Reuben Garrick, 5 Lehi Hopoate, 6 Luke Brooks, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans, 8 Matthew Lodge, 9 Jake Simpkin, 10 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 11 Corey Waddell, 12 Ben Trbojevic, 13 Jazz Tevaga. Subs (all used): 14 Tommy Talau, 15 Caleb Navale, 16 Ethan Bullemor, 17 Toafofoa Sipley
Tries: Koula (1), Lodge (79); Goals: Garrick 1/1, Cherry-Evans 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 12-6; 18-6, 24-6, 26-6, 26-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Tigers: Terrell May; Sea Eagles: Tolutau Koula
Penalty count: 7-7; Half-time: 12-6; Referee: Adam Gee; Attendance: 13,150