Tigers' War Machine hits top gear

The Wests Tigers have bucked weeks of poor performances to beat the Melbourne Storm 34-16 in front of just 7,400 fans at Leichhardt Oval.

The signs were very bad early on for the Tigers with the Storm doing all the damage with an early double to Marika Koroibete for the Storm to lead 10-0.

The Tigers then looked to hit back but were denied after Video Referees Jared Maxwell and Luke Patten decided to not overturn a live No Try decision from Adam Devcich on a possible Noafaluma try despite replays suggest that there was not even a touch from Kevin Naiqama let alone the knock on that Devcich believed to occur.

The comeback was on though and despite a 40/20 from Cooper Cronk, the Tigers were the next to score when the Storm defence had no answer to some blistering pace from James Tedesco. The Tigers then took the lead after Dene Halatau scored after a Marika Koroibete error from a high ball, although it needed the Video Referees to overturn a very questionable live decision of No Try from referee Chris Sutton and after Pat Richards converted from close range Tigers lead 12-10.

On the stroke of half time, the Tigers scored again courtesy of some good hands from James Tedesco who set up Kevin Naiqama and after the conversion it was 18-10 at Half Time.

The second half started with the Storm closing the gap down to just the goal when Jesse Bromwich strolled through the line to score.

That was it for the scoring for the Storm and it became the Tigers show with three unanswered tries to the home side including some more brilliance in the passing stakes.

The second half tries came for Pat Richards who was an extra man in the overlap, David Noafaluma who scored off a flick pass from Kevin Naiqama that created something from nothing and then James Tedesco showed why he is one of the best players in the Tigers team with his second try of the match.

In Round 22 the Wests Tigers have a long lay-off before travelling to Canberra on Monday night, while the Storm host another cellar dweller in the Gold Coast on Sunday at AAMI Park.

Match Details

Wests Tigers 34 Melbourne Storm 16
Venue: Leichhardt Oval
Crowd: 7419
Halftime Score: Wests Tigers 18 Melbourne Storm 10

WESTS TIGERS (34)
Tries: James Tedesco (2), Pat Richards, Dene Halatau, Kevin Naiqama, David Nofoaluma
Field Goals: Mitchell Moses (0/1)
Conversions: Pat Richards (5/6)

MELBOURNE STORM (16)
Tries: Marika Koroibete (2), Jesse Bromwich
Conversions: Cameron Smith (2/3)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - James Tedesco
2 points - Mitchell Moses
1 point - Kevin Naiqama

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

1: Both sides completing their first sets, Tigers defending the southern end

2: PENALTY TIGERS: Adam Devcich blows the opening penalty after Luke Brooks is taken high by Cam Smith

5: Cam Munster gets a touch to the Cooper Cronk high kick but knocks it on and Tigers survive

6: Cam Smith puts a stab kick into the ingoal but chase isn't the greatest and Tedesco gets out to the 10m line

7: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Felise Kaufusi makes an unforced error.
Felise Kaufusi gets a nice ball from JBrom... but drops it cold in front of the line

11: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Koroibete TRY - Checking touchline and grounding, replays say try

11: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Marika Koroibete. Kick to come.
Marika Koroibete has way too much strength for the defence and he scores after VR signs off

14: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith puts the reverse hook on the kick and slots it through

17: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Marika Koroibete. Kick to come.
Marika Koroibete takes advantage of David Nofoaluma being injured and struggling back and scores after Cooper Cronk launches a run including bouncing off Luke Brooks

18: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
Cam Smith pushes the kick to the left and doesn't convert

20: So Adam Devcich's call of No Try prevents Nofoaluma from scoring despite replays showing the wrong call from Devcich

21: 40/20 MELBOURNE STORM
Cooper Cronk kicks a 40/20.
Cooper Cronk hits a beautiful 40/20 to get the Storm on the attack again

23: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Ava Seumanufagai makes an unforced error.
First possession for the big man after coming off the bench is a bad one

27: Knock on from the Storm in the play the ball picked up by the touch judge Kasey Badger

28: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by James Tedesco. Kick to come.
James Tedesco scores the Tigers opening points of the much after he showed way too much pace for the Storm defence

29: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Pat Richards converts from the sideline and the Tigers are in this game big time

30: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Dene Halatau. Kick to come.
Dene Halatau gets the green lights after the replays showed no reason for it to be even sent up as No Try

34: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Pat Richards converts

38: Mitch Moses does a great spin and grabs the ball before a steaming Marika Koroibete gets there

40: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Kevin Naiqama. Kick to come.
Kevin Naiqama is one of two men on the outside of a bad Marika Koribete read and K Naiq scores after lovely hands from James Tedesco

40: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Pat Richards converts the goal and the Tigers are leading at half time

45: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Jesse Bromwich. Kick to come.
Tigers defensive line looked set but Jesse Bromwich strolls through

46: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith puts the conversion through off the upright

52: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Ryan Hinchcliffe makes an unforced error.
Ryan Hinchcliffe knocks on off a Luke Brooks kick and the Tigers have another chance

54: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Pat Richards. Kick to come.
Pat Richards scores out on the left handside after Will Chambers was stuck in no-mans land after a try saving tackle the play before

56: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards unsuccessful.
Pat Richards can't convert his own try from out wide

63: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by David Nofoaluma. Kick to come.
MAGIC Ball from Kevin Naiqama was the key to this one, Tigers go from left to right through the hands on the last and they score for through David Nofoaluma

64: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Pat Richards converts from the right touchline

67: Touch Judge gets a call horribly wrong after Koroibete touched, knocked on a bomb but was ruled not to have touched it

69: UNSUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL WESTS TIGERS
Field goal attempt by Mitchell Moses unsuccessful.
Mitch Moses goes for the field goal but Cam Smith charges it down

71: Cam Smith goes close.... but can't do anything but knock it on and 20m restart

71: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by James Tedesco. Kick to come.
Well if he wasn't the Tigers best player... that shows why he is, great play from both Teddy & Moses

72: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Pat Richards converts though the Touch Judges needed to look at each other because neither was sure

75: The Storm have been below average tonight but they have a chance to close the gap

74: Keith Galloway collars Felise Kaufusi who is flying through but its missed by the refs but its still a drop out

77: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Tim Glasby makes an unforced error.
Tim Glasby is ruled to have knocked on though first look suggest his hands didn't touch it