WESTS TIGERS 22 CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 16
TOM SMITH, CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, Saturday

WESTS returned to the winners’ circle with a fiery defeat of Canterbury.

Jeral Skelton crossed twice against his old team-mates to help Wests seize the ascendency, before ex-Tiger Lachlan Galvin – booed relentlessly by the fans he walked away from last year – narrowed the gap to a converted try with ten minutes to play.

But Luai’s 80th-minute bone-rattler on Sitili Tupouniua sealed Wests’ win.

On the end of a three-game losing streak, Benji Marshall received a huge boost with Jahream Bula (shoulder), Api Koroisau (suspension), Alex Twal (knee) and Heamasi Makasini (foot) all returning, although Twal and Makasini both re-injured themselves.

Makasini put Skelton into the left corner for the opening score, before a Jock Madden bomb supplied Faaletino Tavana on the other flank.

Luai and Kai Pearce-Paul combined to release Bula for a four-pointer, but the outstanding Jacob Kiraz scampered over just before half-time to keep Canterbury alive.

They would’ve been closer if Bula hadn’t denied Stephen Crichton with a desperate tackle, although the Dogs struck again after the restart via Enari Tuala.

The Bunker controversially chalked off Josh Curran’s charge-down try for making contact with Luai as he kicked, and Skelton’s second off Luai’s boot proved vital.

Madden’s penalty goal, added to two earlier conversions, made it 22-10 before Galvin’s try and Stephen Crichton’s second conversion set up a grandstand finish.

But Luai’s tackle on Tupouniua snuffed out any late miracle.

TIGERS: 1 Jahream Bula, 2 Jeral Skelton, 3 Sunia Turuva, 4 Heamasi Makasini, 5 Faaletino Tavana, 6 Jarome Luai, 7 Jock Madden, 8 Terrell May, 9 Api Koroisau, 10 Fonua Pole, 11 Sione Fainu, 12 Kai Pearce-Paul, 13 Alex Twal. Subs: 14 Latu Fainu, 15 Alex Seyfarth, 16 Royce Hunt, 17 Charlie Murray (not used), 18 Mavrik Geyer (not used), 19 Starford To’a

Tries: Skelton (10, 56), Tavana (17), Bula (29); Goals: Madden 3/5

BULLDOGS: 1 Jacob Kiraz, 2 Jethro Rinakama, 3 Bronson Xerri, 23 Stephen Crichton, 4 Enari Tuala, 6 Matt Burton, 7 Lachlan Galvin, 8 Max King, 9 Kurt Mann, 10 Leo Thompson, 11 Sitili Tupouniua, 12 Jaeman Salmon, 13 Harry Hayes. Subs: 14 Bailey Hayward, 15 Jed Reardon, 16 Jack Underhill, 17 Josh Curran, 19 Lipoi Hopoi (not used), 20 Jonathan Sua (not used)

Tries: Kiraz (37), Tuala (48), Galvin (69); Goals: Crichton 2/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 16-0, 16-6; 16-10, 20-10, 22-10, 22-16

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Tigers: Terrell May; Bulldogs: Jacob Kiraz

Penalty count: 6-4; Half-time: 16-6; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 17,505