Tigers’ finals hopes fade after Koroisau injured in defeat to Dragons

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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