Wests Tigers have gone down to New Zealand Warriors 22-12 in a hard fought NYC clash.
Wests Tigers had the chance to leapfrog fourth placed New Zealand on the ladder as they took on the Warriors at Leichhardt Oval.
Wests Tigers began the game brightly and earned a scrum 10 metres out from the New Zealand line after a powerful effort in defence from Leva Li forced the Warriors over the sideline.
The junior Warriors had held firm in the opening 10 minutes and this occasion was no different, Brenden Santi spilling the ball on zero tackle after a six-again call.
Defence was the order of the day with Wests Tigers the first to crack in the 28th minute, but only after a breakdown in play.
Santi failed to collect a loose ball from Luke Brooks, instead kicking the loose ball to a Tuimoala Lolohea who raced 70 metres to score before converting for a six-nil lead.
Wests Tigers hit back in the 32nd minute, Matt Mulcahy grubbering for prop forward Nathan Brown to pounce.
Rudolph converted to level a very evenly contested game at six-all.
In an usually low scoring game, both sides held each other out for the remainder of the half, leaving it at six-a-piece at the break.
The Warriors opened the second half scoring in the 44th minute, winger Metia Lisati making the most of possession and the resultant overlap to cruise over out wide.
His try was converted for a 12-6 lead.
Wests Tigers again didn't give them their lead for long, Mitchell Moses brilliant from fullback in laying on a try for Nathan Milone.
A grubber from Luke Brooks was well collected by a flying Moses who took a hit from the fullback, bounced to his feet before finding a perfect pass to gift Milone a run to the line.
The conversion levelled the match in the 54th minute.
The Warriors again hit the lead with 15 remaining, unusually lax defence saw Sione Feao burst onto an offload 30 metres out to race to the corner.
The first conversion of the night was missed by Lolohea missing from the sideline.
It wouldn't matter though with the Warriors scoring an almost identical try with less that four minutes remaining through Abraham Papalii.
This time the try was converted leaving the score at 22-12.
Wests Tigers kept attacking to provide some exciting final football, but coach Todd Payten would be left disappointed after a hard fought match.
Wests Tigers had the chance to leapfrog fourth placed New Zealand on the ladder as they took on the Warriors at Leichhardt Oval.
Wests Tigers began the game brightly and earned a scrum 10 metres out from the New Zealand line after a powerful effort in defence from Leva Li forced the Warriors over the sideline.
The junior Warriors had held firm in the opening 10 minutes and this occasion was no different, Brenden Santi spilling the ball on zero tackle after a six-again call.
Defence was the order of the day with Wests Tigers the first to crack in the 28th minute, but only after a breakdown in play.
Santi failed to collect a loose ball from Luke Brooks, instead kicking the loose ball to a Tuimoala Lolohea who raced 70 metres to score before converting for a six-nil lead.
Wests Tigers hit back in the 32nd minute, Matt Mulcahy grubbering for prop forward Nathan Brown to pounce.
Rudolph converted to level a very evenly contested game at six-all.
In an usually low scoring game, both sides held each other out for the remainder of the half, leaving it at six-a-piece at the break.
The Warriors opened the second half scoring in the 44th minute, winger Metia Lisati making the most of possession and the resultant overlap to cruise over out wide.
His try was converted for a 12-6 lead.
Wests Tigers again didn't give them their lead for long, Mitchell Moses brilliant from fullback in laying on a try for Nathan Milone.
A grubber from Luke Brooks was well collected by a flying Moses who took a hit from the fullback, bounced to his feet before finding a perfect pass to gift Milone a run to the line.
The conversion levelled the match in the 54th minute.
The Warriors again hit the lead with 15 remaining, unusually lax defence saw Sione Feao burst onto an offload 30 metres out to race to the corner.
The first conversion of the night was missed by Lolohea missing from the sideline.
It wouldn't matter though with the Warriors scoring an almost identical try with less that four minutes remaining through Abraham Papalii.
This time the try was converted leaving the score at 22-12.
Wests Tigers kept attacking to provide some exciting final football, but coach Todd Payten would be left disappointed after a hard fought match.
