FOUR POINTERS: Wests Tigers 30 Manly Sea Eagles 26
The Wests Tigers have come from behind to win at Leichhardt Oval 30-26 against the Manly Sea Eagles in a thriller.
SECOND HALF STUN
The Tigers have stunned the Sea Eagles at home being down 20-6 at the half time break to fight back and win in the dying minutes. The Leichhardt faithful were amazed when their side came out firing to score four tries to Manly’s one. The Manly sides errors in their own half had the Tigers pounce and shift the momentum of the game, even with hooker Matt McIlwrick not returning after an early concussion. The Wests side was desperate and with committed runs 10 metres out from the opposition line five eighth Tui Lolohea and second rower Jesse Sue crashed through the tired defence trying to hang onto the lead. In the final minutes the Manly side was wanting to stop the tigers clinching a final try. The game going end-to-end another blunder from the Sea Eagles found them unable to hold on in another full set of play with James Tedesco passing to his left edge for winger Malakai Watene Zelezniak to score in a thrilling 30-26 clash.
TRBOJEVIC COSTLY MISTAKES
The Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic was instrumental in not only for helping his side and leading at the half but also contributing to the Tigers fight back. Tom had chimed into his sides attack in the first half perfectly setting up a try for his captain Daly Cherry-Evans , but with that confidence in the opening exchanges the momentum had been lifted when Trbojevic tried one of his signature cut-out balls to his winger resulting in Tigers back David Nofoaluma to sprint away. After failing the first time with the pass Tom tried again with a similar play but was caught by Nofoaluma who was ready to take his second collection but this time it would swing the entirety of the match and lead to points off the back of the intercept.
TEDESCO TERRORISES
James Tedesco the departing Tigers fullback was at his best for one of his last games at Leichhardt oval. Although having a forgettable drop ball from a restart the New South Wales and Tigers fullback was at his tackle breaking best, weaving and cutting the Manly defence terrorizing them from edge to edge. Tedesco finished the match with 10 tackle busts and 190 run metres but more importantly set up a left edge play to pass through the hands to his winger to win the match at the death.
NO LUCK AT LEICHHARDT
The Manly Sea Eagles have been a dominant team in the last decade but the match which has them placed against the Tigers at Leichhardt oval throughout the years has them always coming out the worse. Having won 63 percent of the matches played between the two sides the Sea Eagles have found no luck at the Balmain home only winning 2 from 10 after this clash. The Tigers always seem to find another level of play when tested against sides at the ground, in front of packed crowds and hardest of odds the wests team continously finds a way to produce their best each time.
SCOREBOARD
Wests Tigers 30 Tries: Taylor, Naiqama, Lolohea, Sue, Watene Zelezniak
Goals: Lolohea 5/5
Manly Sea Eagles 26
Tries: Cherry-Evans(2), Uate(2), Perrett
Goals: Wright 3/5
