Wests Tigers have held on for a thrilling victory over the Newcastle Knights at Beanie for Brain Cancer Stadium, running out 28-26 winners to celebrate Robbie Farah's milestone in style.
Falling behind early, Michael Maguire's side showed their attacking potential in the first half to race back and lead at the break before running in a number of tries throughout the second half to hold on to a slender win in the end.
The result sees Wests Tigers move back to the edge of the top eight with a huge home game ahead next Thursday at Leichhardt Oval against the Cowboys.
After starting slow in last week's loss to the Canberra Raiders, it was a case of déjà vu for Wests Tigers with two errors inside the opening six minutes gifting the Knights all the early running and two converted tries on the scoreboard.
Just like the week before, however, Maguire's men would hit back courtesy of some sharp play close to the line as Luke Garner — back in the starting side for the first time since Round 6 — found Corey Thompson with a lovely late offload.
Despite their slow start, Wests Tigers were suddenly on top and full of momentum, and quickly turned their dominance in to points to level the match once again.
Thompson scores a second try after Brooks burst
In his first game back from injury, Thompson would take his tally to nine tries for the year in the 34th minute when he finished off a darting run from Brooks, with Mbye adding the extras from in front to bring the two sides level again.
A dangerous tackle from Connor Watson just before the break would give the visitors one late change to lead, and it was some vintage play from Benji Marshall that saw just that take place — the veteran Kiwi playmaker somehow stepping his way through the line to ground the ball next to the left upright. Mbye made it three from three with the boot to give Maguire's side an 18-12 lead at the break.
Newcastle wouldn't take long to respond after half-time and some clever play down the short side caught Wests Tigers napping. Hymel Hunt was the beneficiary of the lapse in concentration as he touched down out wide, with Ponga's first missed conversion of the night leaving the visitors holding on to a slender two-point lead.
The hooker responsible for more tries than anyone in the position in Premiership history and the milestone man of the night, Farah would restore the eight-point lead when he burrowed over from dummy half in the 52nd minute before the Knights hit back through Tautau Moga after a deflected kick fell in to his hands.
With over 20,000 fans at Beanie for Brain Cancer Stadium riding every play, the two sides would continue to trade tries as Paul Momirovski finished off some sharp play from Brooks and Moses Mbye to score his second try of the season.
Mbye's sideline conversion narrowly sailed wide, however, leaving the lead at just one converted try with 15 minutes remaining in the contest.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall would respond in the 68th minute after a clever draw and pass from Jesse Ramien put the winger over out wide. Ponga had a chance to lock the scores up but hooked his attempt to the left, leaving Wests Tigers clutching to the same two-point lead they had held for the majority of the second half.
It would be a grandstand finish in Newcastle as the home side rallied and tried to steal the two points, but Maguire's side showed the steel they'd been missing in recent weeks to hold on for a crucial two-point victory in the end.
Michael Chee Kam's late injury was the only real cause for concern for Wests Tigers, with the forward taken to hospital following a dangerous tackle from Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga that saw the Novacastrian sent to the sin bin as a result.
Wests Tigers face North Queensland on Thursday as they return to Leichhardt Oval for the first time since defeating Manly in Round 1.
Wests Tigers 28 (Thompson 2, Marshall, Farah, Momirovski tries; Mbye 5/5 goals) def. Newcastle Knights 26 (Ramien, Ponga, Hunt, Moga tries; Ponga 3/4 goals) at Beanie for Brain Cancer Stadium, Newcastle
