Tenacious Tigers take down Storm

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The Tigers have continued their recent fine form by defeating the Melbourne Storm 22-4 in slippery conditions at Leichhhardt Oval in front of a very vocal crowd of 5,288.

The Storm were hit hard before kick off losing captain Cameron Smith and the hits kept coming as the match kicked on with the Tigers dominating field possession and position in the opening 20.

Despite numerous opportunities, the Tigers failed to execute in opening 20 and it was the Storm who drew first blood in the 23rd minute courtesy of a nice pass from Brett Finch to Maurice Blair who scored in the corner. Cooper Cronk failed to convert.

That was to be last points for the Storm as the Tigers reclaimed the front foot with tries to David Simona in the 30th minute and Blake Ayshford in the 37th minute.

The Tigers took off where there they left in the first half in the second as they outmuscled and out played the Melbourne Storm.

Benji Marshall added to the Tigers' lead in the 48th minute with a penalty goal, before David Nofoaluma scored the first try of the second half in the 69th minute to extend the lead to 12 leaving the Storm with a near impossible mountain to climb in the final ten given the conditions.

The Storm needed a mircale and Cooper Cronk looked he may have delievered one in the 73rd with a clever chip bomb, however it all came unstuck when Justin O'Neil was pinned for being off side. 

A try in the last minute to Marshall put the icing on the cake of the Tigers with a last minute try which he also converted. 

Tonight's win was the Tigers' fourth from their last five matches, they head to Cronulla next weekend to take on the Sharks while the Storm will host the Brisbane Broncos. 


Match Details
Wests Tigers 22 Melbourne Storm 4
Venue: Leichhardt Oval
Crowd: 5288
Halftime Score: Wests Tigers 10-4

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - New Person
2 points - New Person
1 point - New Person

WESTS TIGERS (22)
Tries: Tim Simona, Benji Marshall, Blake Ayshford, David Nofoaluma
Field Goals:
Conversions: Benji Marshall (2/4)
Penalty Goals: Benji Marshall (1/1)

MELBOURNE STORM (4)
Tries: Maurice Blair
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cooper Cronk (0/1)
Penalty Goals:

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Tigers: 1. James Tedesco 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Blake Ayshford 4. Chris Lawrence 5. Tim Simona 6. Benji Marshall 7. Curtis Sironen 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Adam Blair 11. Liam Fulton 12. Joel Reddy 13. Suaso Sue
Interchange: 14. Ava Seumanufagai 15. Jack Buchanan 16. Shaun Spence 17. Bodene Thompson 19. Ben Murdoch-Masila

Storm: 1. Billy Slater 2. Sisa Waqa 3. Will Chambers 4. Maurice Blair 5. Justin O'Neill 6. Brett Finch 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Bryan Norrie 11. Kevin Proctor 12. Ryan Hoffman 13. Ryan Hinchcliffe
Interchange: 14. Jason Ryles 15. Mitch Garbutt 16. Tohu Harris 17. Slade Griffin 18. Ben Hampton 19. Siosaia Vave 20. Junior Moors
5 min: Tigers will start a set just five metres their side of halfway.
5 min: Farah opts to take the kick early in the set and it goes over the sideline ten out from the Storm line.
6 min: Great defensive set by the Tigers and Cronk is forced to kick only 20 metres out from his try line.
7 min: Tigers are 10 out from the try line on the last but Farah fails to weight his kick correctly and the ball goes dead in goal.
8 min: The Tigers receive the first penalty of the game and will go on the attack again.
8 min: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Sauaso Sue makes an unforced error.
Sauaso Sue loses the ball metres from the Storm line.
13 min: Tigers are 30 out from the Storm try line on the last and they got to the air through Marshall, but Lawrence fails to successfully contest the bomb and the Tigers fail to turn pressure into points.
14 min: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Curtis Sironen makes an unforced error.
The Tigers are pinned for a forward pass 40 out from their own try line and the Storm will have their first real attacking oppotunity.
15 min: Cronk puts too much on his kick and goes out a few metres out from the try line.
17 min: The Storm are penalised 40 out from their own line and the Tigers are on the attack again.
18 min: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Tim Simona makes an unforced error.
Tim Simona drops are Tedesco pass and bomb another attacking opportunity.
20 min: Storm receive a penalty will have an attacking set.
21 min: Cronk forces a line drop out.
24 min: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Maurice Blair. Conversion attempt by Cooper Cronk unsuccessful.
TRY! The Storm spread it out left through Brett Finch and Maurice Blair scores for the Storm. In the absence of Cameron Smith Cooper Cronk takes the conversion. He fails to convert.
Melbourne Storm 4-0
25 min: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Tohu Harris makes an unforced error.
The Tigers will have an opportunity to hit back after Harris knocks 30 out from his own line.
26 min: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Robbie Farah makes an unforced error.
Farah is pinned for a forward pass and the Storm receive another let off.
27 min: The Storm receive a penalty on halfway.
30 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Tim Simona. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
TRY! Sisa Waqa drops a Slater pass and it's picked up by Tim Simona who races 90 metres to score. Benji Marshall converts from in front.
Wests Tigers 6-4
31 min: Slater is forced into touch a few metres out from his own try line.
37 min: Posisble try to Blake Ayshford.
38 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Blake Ayshford. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall unsuccessful.
TRY! Simona makes a 40 metre kick return before offloading to Marshall who passes to Farah 30 out from the try line, Farah finds Blake Ayshford who slides over the try line. Marshall fails to convert eight metres from touchline.
Wests Tigers 10-4
40 min: That's the half folks, the Tigers lead the Storm 10-4 after messy first half.
41 min: We have kick off for the second 40.
46 min: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Justin O'Neill makes an unforced error.
The Tigers will get a scrum 20 out from the Storm try line after an incorrect play the ball from Justin O'Neil
48 min: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL WESTS TIGERS
Penalty goal attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
The Tigers receive a penalty 10 out from the Storm line and opt to go for the two.
Wests Tigers 12-4
51 min: Cooper Cronk forces a line dropout.
51 min: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Billy Slater makes an unforced error.
Slater loses the ball and the Tigers are off the hook.
60 min: Te Tigers receive a penalty and will go on the attack.
62 min: Farah forces a line drop out.
63 min: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
James Tedesco makes an unforced error.
Tedesco loses the ball ten out and the Storm receive another let off.
64 min: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Slade Griffin makes an unforced error.
Slade Griffin loses the ball from the scrum and the Tigers will go back on the attack.
66 min: The Tigers force another drop out.
68 min: Waqa dives on a Farah half a metre out from his own try line.
68 min: Storm are trapped in their own 20 after five tackles.
69 min: Possible try to David Nofoaluma!
70 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by David Nofoaluma. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall unsuccessful.
TRY! The Tigers spread it out through James Tedesco who finds Nofoaluma who scores in the right corner. Conversion attempt from Benji Marshall is unsuccessful.
Wests Tigers 16-4
73 min: The Storm receive a tackle count restart 30 out from the Tigers' line.
74 min: Maurice Blair is tackled into touch.
76 min: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Blake Ayshford makes an unforced error.
Ayshford knocks on a terrible Benji Marshall pass 30 out from his own line.
80 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Benji Marshall. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
TRY! Bneji Marshall Scores for the Tigers and that's the game. Marshall converts his own try. The West Tigers have defeated the Melbourne Storm 20-4 in front of a small but vocal crowd at Liechhardt Oval
Wests Tigers 22-4
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