WESTS TIGERS 33 CANBERRA RAIDERS 14
CALLUM WALKER, Leichhardt Oval, Thursday

WESTS Tigers registered 23 unanswered points to send Canberra Raiders back to the capital with their tails between their legs.

The Raiders, courtesy of Matt Timoko and Kaeo Weekes efforts, along with two conversions and a penalty from Ethan Sanders, had led 14-10 at half-time and were fully deserving of their ascendancy.

However, whatever Wests boss Benji Marshall said at the break certainly had the desired effect, as four tries in the second half continued the Tigers’ rise to the top of the NRL ladder.

The deadlock was broken inside seven minutes when Luke Laulilii crossed for the Tigers before star man Adam Doueihi notched his own four-pointer around the midway point in the first half.

Api Koroisau’s sin bin for a hip-drop tackle allowed Canberra back into proceedings as Timoko and Weekes crossed within four minutes of each other.

But the Tigers were a different animal following the resumption, with Taylan May scoring immediately to level it up at 14-14.

Spurred on by a vociferous Leichhardt Oval home crowd, Wests continued to press and Doueihi grabbed his second – as did Laulilii on the hour to make it 26-14.

And, just to rub salt into Canberra’s wounds, Royce Hunt finished things off with a minute to go after Doueihi had nailed a cheeky one-pointer.

TIGERS: 1 Jahream Bula, 2 Sunia Turuva, 3 Taylan May, 4 Starford To’a, 5 Luke Laulilii, 6 Jarome Luai, 7 Adam Doueihi, 8 Terrell May, 9 Api Koroisau, 10 Fonua Pole, 11 Samuela Fainu, 12 Kai Pearce-Paul, 13 Alex Twal. Subs: 14 Jock Madden (not used), 15 Sione Fainu, 16 Royce Hunt, 17 Alex Seyfarth, 18 Patrick Herbert, 19 Tristan Hope (not used)

Tries: Laulilii (7, 62), Doueihi (17, 46), Taylan May (41), Hunt (79); Goals: Doueihi 4/6; Field goals: Doueihi (75); Sin bin: Koroisau (26) – hip-drop tackle

RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Sebastian Kris, 4 Matt Timoko, 19 Savelio Tamale, 5 Jed Stuart, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Ethan Sanders, 10 Joseph Tapine, 9 Tom Starling, 17 Morgan Smithies, 11 Zac Hosking, 12 Noah Martin, 13 Corey Horsburgh. Subs: 8 Ata Mariota, 14 Jayden Brailey, 15 Daine Laurie, 16 Joe Roddy, 18 Chevy Stewart (not used), 20 Owen Pattie (not used)

Tries: Timoko (28), Weekes (32); Goals: Sanders 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 10-6, 10-12, 10-14; 14-14, 20-14, 26-14, 27-14, 33-14

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Tigers: Adam Doueihi; Raiders: Zac Hosking

Penalty count: 5-5; Half-time: 10-14; Referee: Ashley Klein; Attendance: 17,153