An unstoppable nine consecutive tries from Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks saw the Wests Tigers lose 48-32 to bow out of the Jersey Flegg Cup finals at Kogarah on Saturday.
The Tigers got off to a brilliant start in the elimination final to lead 20-0 after 17 minutes before Cronulla rallied to take a surprising 22-20 lead at half-time.
What followed in the second half was a sheer nightmare for the Tigers, with the Sharks taking full advantage to run in five more tries to finish with nine for the match.
It was a cruel way for the Tigers to finish their season under Coach Shane Sultana, especially given their dominant performance in the first 20 minutes.
A blockbusting run by forward Christian Taupau-Moors saw him split the defence to produce a superb offload to send five-eighth Ryder Huth over. Full-back Jack Attard converted for a 6-0 lead after five minutes.
Taupau-Moors then combined again with Huth for the five-eighth to stretch out to score next to the posts. Attard converted for a 12-0 lead after 13 minutes.
A charging run by prop Archie Duncombe saw him offload to Attard to link with Heith Pritchard for the half-back to score next to the posts. Attard converted.
The try was awarded a penalty try after Pritchard received some extra attention in scoring. Attard converted for a 20-0 lead after 17 minutes.
The Sharks opened their account two minutes later when winger Richard Whalebone leapt above Attard to score off a kick for a 20-6 scoreline.
The Tigers then suffered some misfortune when a long, cut out pass from Huth at the Sharks line saw the ball intercepted by winger Pharrell Gray to race the length of the field in beating three defenders to cross in the corner for a 20-10 scoreline after 28 minutes.
The Sharks scored their third unanswered try when forward Jamie Curran carried three defenders over the line to make it 20-16 after 34 minutes.
Curran was it again two minutes later when the giant forward spun his way over the line with three defenders to give the Sharks a 22-20 lead after 37 minutes.
The Sharks kept their momentum going early in the second half when second-rower Yuri Hromow scored next to the posts for a 28-20 lead after 43 minutes.
Cronulla extended their lead to 34-20 when Jai Camilleri crashed over next to the posts after 52 minutes.
From the re-start, the Sharks then went the length off the field after full-back Callum Grantham split the defence to send Xavier Cacciotti over out wide with his first touch of the ball to give the Sharks their seventh consecutive try for a 38-20 lead after 54 minutes.
Cronulla prop Jai Davies then crashed through some tired defence to make it 44-20 after 59 minutes.
Following a short kick-off from the re-start that failed to go 10, the Sharks went on the attack again from one side to the other before a short grubber saw the ball sit up perfectly for centre Elijah Paea to score the team’s ninth straight try for a 48-20 lead after 64 minutes.
The Tigers finally stopped the try onslaught when, after getting the ball back from a short kick-off, went on the attack for winger Glassie Glassie to score out wide for a 48-26 scoreline.
Huth then crossed for his third try after some fine play up the middle by Attard for a 48-32 scoreline after 68 minutes.
Despite the loss, Wests Tigers can be proud of their season after securing a top-five finish for the first time since 2022.
