15 Moments for 15 Seasons - No. 7

Author: weststigers.com.au
Timestamp: Wed 7 May 2014, 04:16 PM

15 Moments for 15 Seasons

Wests Tigers are counting down the top 15 moments in the Club's history to commemorate with their 15th Anniversary season in the NRL.

As voted by the fans, here's Moment No. 8.

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“Back and forth” simply doesn’t do justice in trying to describe Wests Tigers’ incredible Round 3 victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2005.

Coming off the bye, and a tough Round 1 loss against Parramatta Eels, Wests Tigers reeled off five unanswered tries after going behind early, before letting the hosts back into the match late in the piece. Inspirational halfback Scott Prince then stole the show with a field goal in the final seconds of play to win 37-36.

Up against the defending premiers in the Bulldogs, Wests Tigers appeared shell-shocked early — going behind 12-0 early and 18-6 with moments remaining in the first half — before trailing by six at the break after tries to Brett Hodgson and Daniel Fitzhenry.

Prince leveled the scores in the 44^th minute following a great run and finish, before another try for the halfback saw them hit the lead in the 51^st minute.

One of the most remarkable length-of-the-field tries to Bronson Harrison in the 56^th minute and John Wilson’s effort in the 67^th minute saw the visitors blow their lead out to the unlikely scoreline of 36-18 with just 13 minutes to play.

But the Bulldogs — defending premiers for a reason — continued to rally back.

Braith Anasta scored himself in the 71^st and 78^th minute, and set up Brent Sherwin in the 75^th minute to somehow lock the scores up at 36-all.

Golden point appeared destined to take place on the day, but after somehow re-gathering the kickoff through Robbie Farah, Wests Tigers had a chance to win back the match they had seemingly thrown away in the previous seven minutes.

The responsibility fell on Prince’s shoulders, and he rose to the occasion perfectly — kicking the field goal sweetly to send the Wests Tigers into obvious delirium.

They had won their first game of the 2005 season, and had done so against the defending premiers on their own turf after trailing behind early.

That win would set the platform for 17 more wins that season, with their final coming against the North Queensland Cowboys in the 2005 Grand Final.

But few were as tense — and as unlikely — as their 37-36 victory against the Bulldogs.