The Wests Tigers have secured their third straight win of the season, defeating the Newcastle Knights 42-22 in their first game of the year at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
Benji Marshall’s side now sit second on the NRL Telstra Premiership ladder with a 4-1 record to start the season.
The Tigers were dominant with the ball in hand, with 11 members of the Tigers squad racking up over 100 running metres, seven of them exceeding 150. Adam Doueihi led with 238 metres, alongside try-scorer Terrell May, who recorded 224.
It was a massive night for the right edge as the Tigers scored six of their eight tries down that side, including a hat trick from Sunia Turuva and a try on Club debut for Wests Tiger #306 Patrick Herbert.
Key stats:
Sunia Turuva: The winger scored his first hat trick of the season and recorded 188 running metres.
Adam Doueihi: The halfback led the team with 238 running metres and three try assists.
Patrick Herbert: The New Zealander impressed on Club debut with a brilliant try assist, followed up by his first try in Tigers colours.
Tackles: Alex Twal (43) and Kai Pearce-Paul (40) toiled away, leading the side’s tackle count.
Attack: The Tigers lead on all major attacking statistics, including 219 runs for 2,136 metres, 676 of them being post-contact.
The moments:
4th minute: Adam Doueihi fires a wide pass to Sunia Turuva on the right wing, who slides over for the opening try. Jock Madden converts from the sideline for a 6-0 lead.
12th minute: Api Koroisau fakes a pass from dummy half close to the line and darts through to score. Madden converts to extend the lead to 12-0.
16th minute: Patrick Herbert produces a phenomenal offload mid-tackle to find Sunia Turuva on the right edge, who finishes in the corner for his second. The conversion is unsuccessful, with the Tigers leading 16-0.
27th minute: Newcastle hit back on the right edge, with Dom Young scoring his side’s first try. The conversion is missed, narrowing the score to 16-4.
35th minute: From 30 metres out, Herbert breaks down the right, dummies to Turuva and scores on Club debut. Madden adds the two points, pushing the lead to 22-4.
38th minute: Jahream Bula crosses on the right edge just before half-time. Madden converts from out wide, giving the Tigers a 28-4 lead at the break.
53rd minute: Doueihi again finds Turuva with a cut-out pass, completing the winger’s hat-trick in the corner. The conversion is missed, making it 32-4.
58th minute: A Tigers error in-goal allows Dane Gagai to score for Newcastle. Sandon Smith converts, reducing the margin to 32-10.
62nd minute: Turuva keeps the ball in play and passes inside to Bula, who crashes over for his second. The conversion is unsuccessful, with the Tigers ahead 36-10.
65th minute: The Knights defence opens up for Terrell May to score right of the posts. Jock Madden lands the conversion, extending the lead to 42-10.
76th minute: A bomb is collected by fullback Fletcher Hunt, who scores for Newcastle. The conversion is successful, bringing the score to 42-16.
78th minute: Prop Trey Mooney scores under the posts, with Smith converting to complete the scoring in a 42-22 win for the Tigers.
What they said:
NRL Head Coach, Benji Marshall
“I'm really happy with the boys for getting the result. Obviously, the two points is what you come for, and to give our fans, to go to work on a Monday, something to celebrate is really important to us.”
When talking about Patrick Herbert’s first game for the Tigers:
“I was actually watching a Māori tournament on a livestream on YouTube, and he was playing for a team that I had no idea who they were, and I thought, ‘Is that Patrick Herbert?’ So I watched him play; he was man of the match, and then I gave him a text and said, ‘What are you up to?’”
“I thought he did his job perfectly. It was a testament to our leaders and our group that someone falls out of the team, and he can step in and do his job.”
Captain, Api Koroisau:
“It was awesome to see the crowd out there. We love coming and playing out here, and to finally pay them back with a win and get a standing ovation was lovely, but yeah, we still have a long part of the season to go.”
