Wests Tigers Intrust Super Premiership side gone down 52-12 in disappointing fashion to the Penrith Panthers today’s game at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
With a number of late changes seeing players out of position across the forward line, Wests Tigers did their best to keep pace with the Panthers throughout the match, but a mixture of strong attack and ill-discipline from the hosts allowed the visitors to emerge with a comprehensive win in the end and keep Wests Tigers winless to start 2017.
Penrith opened the scoring after six minutes when Moses Leota crashed his way over next to the posts, with Darren Nicholls adding the extras to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.
Wests Tigers would hit back soon after, though, with Jordan Rankin and Watson Heleta combining nicely down the right edge to send Christian Yassmin over for his first try.
Rankin landed the sideline conversion to level the match at 6-6 after 11 minutes.
Dominating possession and field position, the visitors would hit back with two quick tries to extend their lead to 16-6, with Ratu Tuisese and Tyrone May both crossing.
Justin Hunt would show some sharp footwork close to the line to cut the lead to 16-12 with eight minutes remaining before the break, but Penrith would add a crucial try just before half-time through Lachlan Stein to take their lead back out to 22-12.
Needing to begin the second half strong, Wests Tigers were unable to get out of their own end off the back of some strong defence by the Panthers, which the visitors would soon turn into points through a simple penalty goal in front of the posts to Nicholls.
Now trailing by more than two converted tries, Wests Tigers would fall further behind in the 56th minute when Corey Harawira-Naera crashed his way over close to the posts.
Nicholls’ conversion gave the Panthers a seemingly unassailable 30-12 lead.
The visitors would continue to apply attacking pressure on Wests Tigers’ line, crossing for more points through Corey Waddell who simply proved too strong close to the line.
Nicholls strong day with the boot continued as he made it 36-12 after 62 minutes.
As players began to tire, Paea Pua carried several defenders over the line to extend the Panthers’ lead, but Nicholls was unable to convert from next to the posts.
That gave Penrith a 40-12 lead with just under ten minutes remaining in the match, before Waddell grabbed his second try off a short ball to push the lead out to 46-12.
Zach Dockar-Clay would cap off a remarkable day out for the visitors when he too found space in the line, wrestling his way over next to the posts for another four-pointer.
Penrith Panthers 52 (Waddell 2, Leota, Tuisese, May, Stein, Harawira-Naera, Pua, Docker-Clay tries; Nicholls 8/10 goals) def. Wests Tigers 12 (Yassmin, Hunt tries; Rankin 2/2 goals) at Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Be there for our first home game of 2017 when we take on the Penrith Panthers!
