Wests Tigers’ Holden Cup side have continued their strong start to the 2016 season, walloping South Sydney 46-0 tonight at ANZ Stadium.
The nine-try romp was the third straight victory for Willie Peters’ side, with an amazing 140-28 aggregate over those games.
Despite missing prolific try-scorer Obed Karwhin and dangerous outside back Moses Suli; there was no shortage of tries as Esan Marsters, Luke Sharpe and Veiru Mapesone all crossed for doubles.
The game also marked the Holden Cup debut of Australian Schoolboys Representative and Balmain SG Ball player Ryan Papenhuyzen, who took Karwhin’s place on the wing.
A penalty in the very first set of the game saw Wests Tigers march their way up field, with Thomas Bartley coming up with a sneaky grubber behind the line which was dive on by Sharpe for the first points of the day.
Bartley converted the try from under the posts, making it a 6-0 lead after just three minutes of play.
Wests Tigers were on the front foot once again, forcing a repeat set in the eight minute from which lock forward Jakob Giles dived over from dummy-half to extend his side’s lead.
Bartley was unsuccessful with the tough conversion from the left hand touchline, leaving it at 10-0 after 10 minutes.
Mapesone extended Wests Tigers’ lead in the 16th minute, hitting the line on the left edge to score with Roman Ioelu taking over the goal-kicking to make it a 16-0 lead.
Marsters was next to cross the line for Wests Tigers, continuing his strong form this season, making it a 20-0 lead after 26 minutes with the conversion by Ioelu waved away.
A number of opportunities went begging before the half-time break for Wests Tigers, however the scoreboard remained at a commanding 20-0 when both sides went into the sheds.
Just after the half–time break another chance went begging, this time through prop Taniela Paseka who made a great run through defenders only to lose the ball while attempting to score.
Just three minutes later, Wests Tigers were on the attack again with hooker Jacob Liddle showing his class to beat several defenders out of dummy-half to score.
Ioelu converted the try to make it a 26-0 lead after 48 minutes.
On the back of another repeat set forced by a Bartley grubber, Marsters crossed for his second try of the night with a barnstorming run on the edge.
Ioelu made it look too easy from the sideline with a towering conversion to make it 32-0 after 57 minutes.
Wests Tigers made it quick back-to-back tries with Sharpe cruising his way over for his second four-pointer of the night, with the score remaining 36-0 after the conversion from Ioelu was waved away.
Prop forward Junior Tatola was too strong for the Rabbitohs’ goal-line defence, spinning his way out of a tackle to crash over the line in the 63rd minute.
Mapesone converted the easy kick, extending his side’s lead to 42-0 after 63 minutes.
The playmaker claimed his second four-pointer of the night in the 70th minute, putting an exclamation point on the scoreline which would remain at 46-0 at the full-time siren.
Wests Tigers 46 (Sharpe 2, Mapesone 2, Marsters 2, Giles, Tatola, Liddle tries; Bartley 1/2, Ioelu 3/6, Mapesone 1/1) defeated South Sydney 0
