Wests Tigers’ NYC side has bounced back from a last start defeat with a dominant 42-10 win over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Round 19.
The win puts Wests Tigers in a great position to keep their hopes at a top-four finish alive heading into the latter rounds of the competition.
It was the hosts who posted first points of the match through Lamar Liolevave in the fifth minute, with the forward circling around the back to collect a sharp ball from hooker Manaia Cherrington close to the line.
Matthew Woods added the extras from close to the posts for a 6-0 lead.
Te Maire Martin then hit John Ogden with a superb cut-out ball — allowing him to score in the corner and push the lead to 10-0 after 15 minutes.
The hosts continued to dominate field position and possession — forcing several repeat sets from their opponents — but couldn’t take full advantage of their superiority, with scrambling defence allowing the Bulldogs to survive.
Wests Tigers would finally make their dominance count when Jordan Grant shrugged off two tackles to score next to the posts in the 31st minute.
Liolevave continued his strong performance with a sharp cut-out ball to Ogden allowing the winger to cross untouched in the right corner after 36 minutes — pushing the lead out to 20-0 as half-time sounded at ANZ Stadium.
Coach Andrew Webster urged his side for more of his same in the second half, and they quickly followed suit, with Delouise Hoeter crossing for a brilliant individual try in the 44th minute in the right corner.
Woods then added the extras from the sideline to push the lead to 26-0.
A heads-up bit of play from Jeremy Marshall-King to bat the cross-field kick from Eli Levido down to his teammate in the 52nd minute saw Tyler Cassel push the lead out to 32-0 after Woods converted from next to the posts.
After a lengthy delay due to Bulldogs’ fullback Marcelo Montoya being stretchered from the field, the visitors finally crossed in the 59th minute, with Dujuan Manuel-Liolevave diving over in the corner to reduce the margin.
Brad Keighran converted the try — leaving the score at 32-6 after 60 minutes.
The visitors again reduced the margin through Renouf To’omaga in the 65th minute, with the centre carrying Cassel over the line to score out wide.
Keighran couldn’t add the extras this time and the score remained the same.
Cassel grabbed his second of the afternoon after hitting a great short ball close to the line. Woods duly added the extras from close to the posts to restore the 28-point margin with just eight minutes remaining in the match.
Watson Heleta grabbed a late try to push the lead to 42-10 as the siren sounded as he dived on a grubber from Cassel and push the lead to 32 points.
Woods couldn’t add the extras, though, and the score remained the same.
Final: Wests Tigers 42 def. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 10
