Source : the age
The Wests Tigers’ finals hopes are fading fast after Benji Marshall’s side suffered a third straight defeat on Saturday evening, going down 24-10 to the Dragons after losing captain Api Koroisau to a suspected pectoral muscle tear.
While the result provided a much-needed morale boost for the Red V, who recorded their second win of the season – both coming after Dean Young took over as interim head coach in April – it means the once high-flying Tigers are four points outside the top eight, while their casualty ward continues to grow.
Koroisau came from the field midway through the second half with the suspected pec tear, providing another injury headache for Marshall – who is already missing Samuela Fainu, Patrick Herbert, Kai Pearce-Paul and Taylan May.
The Tigers were also without Jarome Luai due to the NRL’s concussion protocols. However, the five-eighth is expected to be back for their clash against the Warriors next Friday.
Adam Doueihi, playing his second match since coming back from a shoulder injury, was easily one of the best on field and scored both of the Tigers’ tries. But the team fell apart after Koroisau’s departure, with Valentine Holmes grabbing a double and Mathew Feagai adding to the tally as the Dragons ran in three tries in the last 12 minutes.
While the home crowd were jubilant at full-time, it was a frustrating game of football for the most part, with the scores locked in single figures for much of the match as the sides struggled to get going in attack.
The end-of-set plays were clunky and lacked finesse, and when opportunities opened up, both teams were missing the creativity to capitalise – often coming up with errors.
The home side lost first-half try-scorer Tyrell Sloan to a hamstring injury in the first half, which saw hooker Damien Cook move to left centre with no spare outside back on the bench.
Clint Gutherson’s sin-binning for a professional foul in the third minute threatened to end the Dragons’ chances before the game had really got going, but they managed to hold on with just the one try for Doueihi coming while they were a man down.
Doueihi later scored the Tigers’ second after chasing down his own grubber to ground the ball in goal millimetres short of the dead-ball line, but that was the end of the scoring for the Tigers.
The victory, along with the win over Brisbane earlier in the season, will boost Young’s case to lead the team in a long-term capacity as the Dragons consider the head coaching position for 2027.
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That’s a great result for the Dragons and a bit of a disaster for the Tigers, who have lost Apisai Koroisau to a suspected pec injury and possibly lost their chance of playing their way into finals football this season. The result leaves the Tigers with a 7-9 record in 12th place on the ladder.
For the Dragons, a rare win – just their second of the season. Things are looking brighter with their crop of young forwards continuing to impress and a group of star signings set to arrive next season.
Full-time: Dragons win 24-10
The Dragons have their second win of the year. Daniel Atkinson puts in a messy grubber kick that bounces kindly for Mathew Feagai, who grabs it off his bootlaces and gets past Jahream Bula to score the try that kills off any remote chance of a late Tigers comeback.
This is going to be a convincing-looking scoreboard in the end, with Holmes converting again.
Dragons 24, Tigers 10 with two minutes left
Another Daniel Atkinson bomb causes problems for the Tigers yet again, Setu Tu batting it back and Jahream Bula got a touch to it so it’s another fresh set now for the Dragons. They spread it left and that man Valentine Holmes is in again, cutting back towards the inside.
The Dragons have scored tries in back-to-back sets, seemingly out of nowhere, and suddenly they look in control of this game.
Holmes converts to give his side an eight-point lead.
Dragons 18, Tigers 10 with six minutes left
A Jock Madden error gives the Dragons a chance in attacking territory and they make the most of it. Kyle Flanagan holds up a pass nicely to draw some defenders, then finds Luciano Leilua, and he offloads to Val Holmes who has enough space to sneak over in the left corner. Good try from the Red V.
Holmes nails this sideline conversion and the hosts are back in front.
Dragons 12, Tigers 10 with 10 minutes left
A potentially huge blow for the Tigers now with Api Koroisau headed up the tunnel with a suspected torn pec, which could mean a lengthy stint on the sidelines. The savvy hooker was key to the team’s great start to the season and would be dearly missed if he spends significant time out.
Meanwhile this game has become a grind with errors from both sides. There’s still plenty of time left but you get the feeling a single try could decide things here.
Tigers 10, Dragons 6 with 15 minutes left
The Tigers get their chance to hit the front when Valentine Holmes knocks on from a bomb, and after Heamasi Makasini goes close to the tryline early in the set, Api Koroisau forces a dropout with a grubber into the in-goal.
The Dragons go long this time, and it takes the Tigers three tackles to get back inside the 20 metres.
Adam Doueihi tries his hand at a solo effort on the fourth tackle, kicking ahead into the vacant in-goal and chasing himself, and remarkably beats Holmes to the ball and touches down just short of the dead-ball line. That kick looked too strong off the boot but Doueihi surprised everyone by getting there in time. Super effort.
Tigers 10, Dragons 6 with 31 minutes left
The Dragons get the second half underway and the Tigers get through a by-the-numbers first set.
The Tigers are 12th on the ladder, four competition points adrift of the top eight sides, and they’ll need to win the bulk of their matches from here on in to play finals footy. That surely includes a win against a team that is bound for the wooden spoon. That makes this a big 40 minutes coming up for Benji Marshall’s men.
Dragons 6, Tigers 4 with 37 minutes left
