Tiger cubs prove too classy for Rabbitohs

v BYE

The Wests Tigers have shown too much class for the South Sydney Rabbitohs coming away with a 30-14 victory in front of 14490 fans at ANZ Stadium tonight.

The Tigers looked on top from the outset, having plenty of possession inside the Rabbitohs twenty metre line before five-eight Mitchell Moses sliced through to score the opener running off halves partner Luke Brooks in the 18th minute. Moses failed to convert his try, but the home team had an early 4-0 lead.

The Tigers were at their scintillating best from the ensuing kick-off, sending the ball to their right edge for centre Kevin Naiqama to break the South Sydney defensive line open. Moses was again involved backing up before sending Tim Simona on a 50 metre sprint to the line to score. Moses landed the easy conversion to give his team a ten point lead halfway through the opening stanza.

The Rabbitohs with some rare ball inside the Tigers red zone got themselves back into the contest when fullback Cody Walked flick passed on the right for winger Alex Johnston to score in the corner in the 33rd minute. The kick from halfback Adam Reynolds was hooked to the left leaving the score line at 10-4 in favor of the hosts.

The Tigers would deservedly leave the lasting impression on the first half after some amazing hands were shown in the build up to winger David Nofoaluma scoring in the 39th minute. After initially sending the ball left, an offload resulted in the ball coming back out to the right in some hot potato type passing before the Tigers winger crossed out wide to give his team a 14-4 lead heading into the sheds.

The Rabbitohs came out with a lift in intensity in the second stanza, thanks largely to interchange forward Nathan Brown and came up with first points of the half when Johnston crossed for his double in the 54th minute. Reynolds who had an off night with the boot missed the conversion, but his team was back in the hunt with the scores at 14-8.

The Tigers were quick to turn the momentum back their way through tries to Chris Lawrence in the 58th and Kevin Naiqama in the 64th minutes.

It was newly appointed super-sub Robbie Farah who really sent the home crowd into raptures though with a try in the 66th minute. On the back of a Sauaso Sue offload, Farah burst into the backfield before selling the dummy to Souths fullback Cody Walker to slide over next to the posts and prove that Coach Jason Taylor is perhaps a genius after all. Moses enjoyed one of his easier kicks of the night to add the extras and hand his team a commanding 28-8 lead. 

A late consolation try from Rabbitohs centre Kirisome Auva'a was to no avail and Tim Simona kicked a late penalty goal to land his team a sixteen point win that keeps the Tigers finals chances for the year alive.

The victors tonight will enjoy a well-earned bye next week before heading to Melbourne for a tough encounter at AAMI Park on a Sunday afternoon in Round 16.

The Rabbitohs meanwhile will be back at ANZ Stadium in a week's time where they will do battle with the Parramatta Eels. They will also be sweating on the fitness of Bryson Goodwin and Sam Burgess who left the field injured in the first half and didn't return.