Struggling Sydney sink woeful Wests Tigers

In what can only be described as a poor quality game of rugby league, the Wests Tigers have given up an 8-0 halftime lead to lose 12-8 against the Sydney Roosters in front of almost 20,000 fans at the redeveloped Campbelltown Stadium.

The tone for the match was set early when the Tigers opted for a penalty goal just three tackles in. Roosters forward Frank-Paul Nuuasuala conceded the penalty just moments after Todd Carney knocked-on in the first set of the game. The two points would be the last scored until late in the half, with Chris Heighington crossing the line. Marshall's conversion gave the Tigers an eight-point buffer at the break after an error and penalty-riddled half of rugby league.

Unfortunately for the Campbelltown faithful, there would be no more points for the black and gold - an equally dour second half saw the Roosters finally break through with a try to Nuuasuala, then battling on before scoring through Todd Carney late in the match to seal an unlikely victory.

The 19,901 in attendance at Campbelltown were treated to a pretty dour match all-told, with few highlights. Those included a pinpoint 40/20 from Todd Carney in the first half, a quality kicking game from Benji Marshall close to the Roosters line, and some hard line-running from Tuqiri despite seeing very little ball.

Next week the Tigers get a week off before hosting South Sydney at the SCG in the Round 10 heritage clash. The Roosters have an eight-day break before they get to host the Thurston-less Cowboys on Monday week at the SFS.

Match Details
Wests Tigers 8 were defeated by Sydney Roosters 12
National Rugby League - NRL - Round 8 - Sunday May 2, 2010 2:00pm
Venue: Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Referee: Ashley Klein and Matt Cecchin
Video Referee: Paul Simpkins
Touch Judges: Steve Chiddy and Luke Potter
Crowd: 19,901
Halftime: Wests Tigers 8 Sydney Roosters 0

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Nate Myles
2 Points - Benji Marshall (1 Conversion, 1 Penalty Goal)
1 Point - Todd Carney (1 Try, 2 Conversions)

WESTS TIGERS (8)
Tries: Chris Heighington
Conversions: Benji Marshall (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Benji Marshall (1/2)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (12)
Tries: Todd Carney, Frank-Paul Nuuausala
Conversions: Todd Carney (2/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Campbelltown Sports Stadium has undergone a fantastic revitalising process and has an increased capacity - and every extra seat is full here this afternoon for the Tigers v Roosters clash. Todd Payten is rushed back for the home side, with Mark Flanagan pushed back to the bench. The Roosters have a long line of changes including Brunton, Waerea-Hargreaves and Jason Ryles all promoted from the bench to start, and Jason Baiteri added to the bench in jersey 18. The full lineups can be seen by clicking the "Team Lists" link just above.
The Roosters trot out first in their white strip - the Tigers now on the park in their mostly orange kit. We now observe a moments silence for the great Kevin Humphreys, who passed away this week aged 80.
1 min: Benji Marshall kicks off. Jason Ryles runs the ball up for the first of the day.
1 min: Ouch. Todd Carney can't handle what is a poor pass and has dropped it 30 metres out from the Tigers line. They'll go on the attack after just one minute.
3 min: PENALTY GOAL
PENALTY GOAL Wests Tigers
Penalty goal attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
Frank-Paul Nuuasuala hanging on too long and Klein isn't afraid to blow the early penalty. The Tigers quite surprisingly decide on a penalty attempt which Marshall has no trouble with in front.
Wests Tigers 2-0
6 min: The Tigers run it on the last from around the halfway mark, Marshall throws a long ball wide for Ayshford but he's tackled after holding the ball at an arms length for a few metres. Handover for the Roosters now as Braith Anasta looks to be limping a bit.
8 min: Sam Brunton is ruled to have stripped the ball from a Tigers player inside the Tigers half. A penalty to the home side and they're going on the attack heavy now.
9 min: Wests go wide on the 4th tackle to Lote's wing, they've got them covered the Roosters, Tuqiri here is belted into touch by Anthony Minichiello.
10 min: PENALTY GOAL ATTEMPT
Nuuasuala's dropped it, putting the Tigers on the offensive again. Now Waerea-Hargreaves is laying around a bit too long on the tackled player... Benji will kick for goal again but he's hit the post! The Roosters will gain possession from the ball bouncing in field.
Wests Tigers 2-0
12 min: Both sides sloppy here, the Roosters dropping it in their own half before the Tigers come up with an error of their own. The Roosters now get a relieving penalty coming out of their own end. In 12 minutes we've seen four penalties already.
14 min: The Tigers making inroads from their own half into the opposition end, but they're not completing their sets.
16 min: A penalty 30m out for the Roosters, their best chance yet to crack the Tigers line... but they come up with another error.
18 min: More errors at Campbelltown, Tim Sheens in his 600th premiership match looking on a little disappointed no doubt in the quality of the contest so far.
20 min: A grubber on the last almost finds Sam Perrett but he's just missed it and it's a 20m tap.
22 min: 40/20 Sydney Roosters
Todd Carney kicks a 40/20. Fantastic kick beating the Tigers backs over the sideline. The Roosters to attack here again.
26 min: Both teams continuing to test each other but still no tries for either side - made even more stunning by the 44-32 scoreline involving these two sides in Round 2 this season.
28 min: This game has turned farcical with errors thus far, both teams dropping the ball before they can gain any sort of momentum. Error count is Tigers 6 Roosters 7 - that's 13 errors in less than half an hour of footy.
31 min: A penalty for an obstruction between Guerra and Carney, the Tigers to attack now. Can they finally put a try on the board?
34 min: Aiden Guerra not looking in a good way for the Roosters. A Tigers penalty on their own 40m line... Marshall opts to tap it. God knows why. An easy loss of metres.
36 min: Video Referee Decision Pending... Possible try to Tigers' Chris Heighington. Checking obstruction.
36 min: TRY
TRY Wests Tigers
Scored by Chris Heighington. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
Chris Heighington breaks through the line and the obstruction is not ruled to have been a legitimate one.
Wests Tigers 8-0
39 min: Some exciting stuff from the Roosters ends in the sloppy mess we have come to expect with an error. Now we've got some biff due to a suspected swinging arm, a Tigers penalty is the result. The error count is Tigers 9 Roosters 8.
40 min: HALFTIME: The Tigers lead the Roosters 8-0 after what can only be described as a very ordinary game of rugby league. Errors and penalties aplenty with normally composed halves looking lost behind clumsy forward packs. The Tigers have the advantage but it's anyones match right now.
41 min: Second half commences with Anasta booting it down the park for Payten to take the first hit-up.
42 min: Farah's fifth tackle kick rolls dead, back to the 20m restart for the Roosters. They get a penalty to piggyback them upfield as well.
44 min: TRY
TRY Sydney Roosters
Scored by Frank-Paul Nuuausala. Conversion attempt by Todd Carney successful.
Kouparitsas with some fantastic play all the way up the park to put Nuuausala over the line for a good try. Just two points the difference now.
Wests Tigers 8-6
50 min: A Roosters error gives the home side possession well inside opposition territory. Ayshford runs wide and tries getting it out for Fitzhenry but it bounces across the sideline.
55 min: Some fighting breaking out all over the place as Campbelltown begins to roar! The Tigers on the attack from a pretty dubious penalty.
57 min: Phil Graham defuses the Tigers' last tackle cross-field chip and it's compounded by a penalty pushing the Roosters into the opposition half.
59 min: Another poor call against Gareth Ellis this time, ruled to have knocked it on when he did no such thing. The Roosters with another set in front of the Tigers' line here.
64 min: The arm wrestle goes on, both teams rolling up and down the field, with errors and penalties continuing to plague the match.
66 min: The afternoon heat is getting to all the players out there, everyone very slow to pack scrums. The packs are both looking very tired - the Roosters with only two interchanges left available with just under 15 minutes remaining.
68 min: Could this be the breakthrough? A pinpoint grubber from Marshall into the ingoal forces Graham to push the ball dead. Line dropout and a set for the Tigers to possibly seal the game.
69 min: The answer is no as a tiny grubber is easily snapped up by Minichiello on the last. Carney's spilled it a few tackles in though, a Tigers scrum offering the home side another opportunity.
71 min: Fifth tackle looms and the ball is grubbered behind the Roosters line, SKD forced to knock it dead as Tuqiri comes barrelling in. Another dropout.
75 min: Video Referee - Decision Pending. Possible Roosters try to Todd Carney. Checking onside and obstruction.
76 min: TRY
TRY Sydney Roosters
Scored by Todd Carney. Conversion attempt by Todd Carney successful.
Todd Carney caps off an absolute rubbish match with what could be the match winner, picking up the scraps of a Beau Ryan dropped bomb. Minichiello did tackle Ryan without the ball, but had already committed to the tackle before the error and isn't penalised for his efforts.
Sydney Roosters 12-8
78 min: Carney's fifth tackle kick inside his 40m line goes straight down the throat of Fitzhenry. The Tigers throw it around as they surge upfield, some easy metres against a tired Roosters defensive line.
79 min: Nate Myles scoops up a desperate Wests Tigers pass and there'll be maybe one set and a bit left in this - the home side need to force an error to have any hope.
80 min: Beau Ryan fields the last tackle kick on the full on his own 10m line. Third tackle and they're already over halfway. 30 seconds left.
80 min: The Tigers push to the line, a break from Fifita, away to Fitzhenry but he's dragged down just in front of the line. Off to Fifita, he's... dragged down! It's over! Fifth tackle, siren sounds, game set match. The Roosters win.