A gallant second half comeback has seen Wests Tigers record a remarkable 42-32 victory over the Gold Coast Titans at Skilled Park today in round 21 of the Holden Cup.
Down 22-6 at half-time and then 28-6 early in the second half, Wests Tigers rallied to storm home on the back of a massive momentum shift to take the two competition points.
The win moves Wests Tigers to 26 points and leaves them in sixth position, one point behind the fifth placed Bulldogs who play tomorrow night.
Wests Tigers centre Manaia Rudolph opened the scoring when he crossed for a try in the third minute. He converted from out wide for a 6-0 lead.
The Titans got on the board in the 21st minute when hooker Zach Friend backed up a break to score next to the posts. Half-back Kane Elgey converted for a 6-all scoreline.
Gold Coast went to a 10-6 lead in the 31st minute when Tom Rowles defused a bomb to stroll over from five metres out. Elgeys conversion attempt hit the upright.
The Titans extended their lead to 14-6 in the 37th minute when Elgey backed up a break down the right side to score behind the posts. He converted his own try for a 16-6 lead.
Elgey scored his second try two minutes later when he backed up a break from dummy half after a missed tackle by Kyle Lovett to race away to score untouched. He converted his own try for a 22-6 lead at half-time.
2nd Half
Gold Coast started the second half where they left off in the first half with a try two minutes after half-time to centre Rian Diffey next to the posts. Elgey converted the try for a 28-6 lead.
Wests Tigers got back to 28-10 when prop Nathan Brown scored next to the posts five minutes later. Rudolph converted for a 28-12 scoreline.
Kurtis Rowe showed his speed when he ran from the wing acrossfield to stop the Titans scoring in the 54th minute. Unfortunately his efforts were not rewarded when Gold Coast winger Matt Russell scored in the opposite corner from the ensuring penalty. Elgey failed to convert the try to leave the Titans leading 32-12 after 57 minutes.
A break down the right edge saw Matt Mulcahy throw a high inside pas for five-eighth Mitchell Moses to juggle and grasp to place the ball down to score in the 64th minute. Rudolph converted the try for a 32-18 scoreline in favour of the Titans.
A minute later, Rowe sliced through to score near the posts. Rudolph converted the try to leave Wests Tigers trailing 32-24 with 12 minutes remaining.
Wests Tigers were in again a minute later when a break down the left edge by centre Nathan Milone saw him offload to half-back Luke Brooks who offloaded for centre Leva Li to score next to the posts. Rudolph converted the try to leave Wests Tigers trailing 32-30.
Hooker Manaia Cherrington caught the defence napping when he slammed the ball over from dummy half to give Wests Tigers the lead for the first time with five minutes remaining. Rudolph converted to give Wests Tigers a 36-32 lead after 76 minutes.
Rowe sealed victory for Wests Tigers a minute later when he backed up a break from Cherrington to score next to the posts. Rudolph converted for a 40-32 lead after 78 minutes.
Wests Tigers team
1 Kurtis Rowe, 2 Delouise Hoeter, 3 Nathan Milone, 4 Manaia Rudolph, 5 Leva Li, 6 Mitchell Moses, 7 Luke Brooks, 8 Andy Fiagatusa, 9 Manaia Cherrington, 10 Nathan Brown, 11 Kyle Lovett, 16 Jake Dooner, 13 Fosio Tatola, interchange 14 Dallas Graham, 15 Andrew Kazzi, 17 Matt Mulcahy 21 Richard Ene
Down 22-6 at half-time and then 28-6 early in the second half, Wests Tigers rallied to storm home on the back of a massive momentum shift to take the two competition points.
The win moves Wests Tigers to 26 points and leaves them in sixth position, one point behind the fifth placed Bulldogs who play tomorrow night.
Wests Tigers centre Manaia Rudolph opened the scoring when he crossed for a try in the third minute. He converted from out wide for a 6-0 lead.
The Titans got on the board in the 21st minute when hooker Zach Friend backed up a break to score next to the posts. Half-back Kane Elgey converted for a 6-all scoreline.
Gold Coast went to a 10-6 lead in the 31st minute when Tom Rowles defused a bomb to stroll over from five metres out. Elgeys conversion attempt hit the upright.
The Titans extended their lead to 14-6 in the 37th minute when Elgey backed up a break down the right side to score behind the posts. He converted his own try for a 16-6 lead.
Elgey scored his second try two minutes later when he backed up a break from dummy half after a missed tackle by Kyle Lovett to race away to score untouched. He converted his own try for a 22-6 lead at half-time.
2nd Half
Gold Coast started the second half where they left off in the first half with a try two minutes after half-time to centre Rian Diffey next to the posts. Elgey converted the try for a 28-6 lead.
Wests Tigers got back to 28-10 when prop Nathan Brown scored next to the posts five minutes later. Rudolph converted for a 28-12 scoreline.
Kurtis Rowe showed his speed when he ran from the wing acrossfield to stop the Titans scoring in the 54th minute. Unfortunately his efforts were not rewarded when Gold Coast winger Matt Russell scored in the opposite corner from the ensuring penalty. Elgey failed to convert the try to leave the Titans leading 32-12 after 57 minutes.
A break down the right edge saw Matt Mulcahy throw a high inside pas for five-eighth Mitchell Moses to juggle and grasp to place the ball down to score in the 64th minute. Rudolph converted the try for a 32-18 scoreline in favour of the Titans.
A minute later, Rowe sliced through to score near the posts. Rudolph converted the try to leave Wests Tigers trailing 32-24 with 12 minutes remaining.
Wests Tigers were in again a minute later when a break down the left edge by centre Nathan Milone saw him offload to half-back Luke Brooks who offloaded for centre Leva Li to score next to the posts. Rudolph converted the try to leave Wests Tigers trailing 32-30.
Hooker Manaia Cherrington caught the defence napping when he slammed the ball over from dummy half to give Wests Tigers the lead for the first time with five minutes remaining. Rudolph converted to give Wests Tigers a 36-32 lead after 76 minutes.
Rowe sealed victory for Wests Tigers a minute later when he backed up a break from Cherrington to score next to the posts. Rudolph converted for a 40-32 lead after 78 minutes.
Wests Tigers team
1 Kurtis Rowe, 2 Delouise Hoeter, 3 Nathan Milone, 4 Manaia Rudolph, 5 Leva Li, 6 Mitchell Moses, 7 Luke Brooks, 8 Andy Fiagatusa, 9 Manaia Cherrington, 10 Nathan Brown, 11 Kyle Lovett, 16 Jake Dooner, 13 Fosio Tatola, interchange 14 Dallas Graham, 15 Andrew Kazzi, 17 Matt Mulcahy 21 Richard Ene
