Wests Tigers have suffered a 26-16 defeat to the Dolphins in a bruising Round 5 encounter at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Match: Dolphins v Wests Tigers
Round 5 -
home Team
Dolphins
1st Position
away Team
Wests Tigers
9th Position
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
The home side took a 14-nil lead into the break on a night when plenty went against the visitors, including the loss of two players to HIA, and a captain who picked up a leg injury in the warmup.
The Dolphins opened the scoring after five minutes when Wests Tigers right edge was caught short, winger Jack Bostock delivering inside to halfback Isaiya Katoa.
The home side added a gift two points after John Bateman was penalised in front of the sticks following a scuffle with Thomas Flegler to make it 6-0 after ten minutes.
Justin Olam was then denied a try at the 20 minute mark when Jahream Bula sent him over in the corner only for the referee to call it back for a forward pass.
The Dolphins added a further two points when Fonua Pole was penalised for a high tackle before scoring their second try of the match from the next set.
Felise Kaufusi burst through the middle on a 40-metre run before delivering the pass to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to make it 14-nil.
Wests Tigers captain Api Koroisau was taken off towards the end of the first half, as was John Bateman who failed a HIA test and did not return.
Samuela Latu was then sent for a HIA test after being hit high at the start of the second half and he also did not return.
The Tigers opened their account on the next set when Charlie Staines found space on the right edge to send Solomona Faataape in for his first NRL try.
The return of Koroisau to the game coincided with a shift in momentum as the Tigers clawed their way back into the contest.
Faataape scored his second of the night 15 minutes into the second half when Aidan Sezer threaded the needle with deft in-goal kick to have the Tigers trailing by just two points.
The Dolphins were next to score when Katoa put in a neat kick for his five-eighth Kodi Nikorima to cross and moments later the home side went back-to-back to put a big dent in the Tigers’ hopes.
Jeremy Marshall-King opened the defence to send Kenny Bromwich in to score making it 26-10 with about 13 minutes remaining.
Alex Seyfarth crashed his way over off the back off an Aidan Sezer 40/20, which Sezer converted, to make it 26-16 with just over five minutes to play.
Running out of time and troops, the visitors fought to the end with the Dolphins maintaining their place at the top of the ladder.
Wests Tigers will now turn their attention to next weekend’s first game of the season in Campbelltown when they face the Dragons in Round 6.
