Tigers roar as Chooks
near cooked

Round 15
Wests Tigers 26 v Sydney Roosters 14
at Telstra Stadium
Referees: Gavin Badger

Match Summary:
The Wests Tigers have possibly destroyed the Sydney Roosters hopes of making the top eight by defeating them 26-14 at Telstra Stadium.

The Roosters failed to do the simple things right which resulted in careless passes, sloppy kicks and drop-ball. The Tigers however, played a simple game based on field position and completions which were two things the Roosters struggled to maintain.

The Roosters started strong with an early lead of 10-0 twenty eight minutes into the game. It seemed the Roosters were going to go into half-time without any points scored against them but this wasn?t the case as Crockett juggled the ball over line to get the scoreboard ticking for his team.

The second-half saw the Tigers control the game. They dominated possession and starved the Roosters of any chance of a second-half comeback.

In a finish which highlighted how exciting the game was, Beni Marshall showed a piece of individual brilliance by stepping, dummying and finally giving a magnificent flick-pass to Dean Collis who crossed the white line to register four points.

With the Roosters now having to win seven out of their last ten matches, their hopes of making the eight are rapidly diminishing.


Scorers:
Wests Tigers: 26
Tries: Dean Collis, Robert Farah, Ben Galea, Benji Marshall, Michael Crockett
Goals: Brett Hodgson 3/5
Sydney Roosters: 14
Tries: Ryan Cross, Chris Flannery, Shaun Foley
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 1/2, Amos Roberts 0/1

Halftime: Tigers 12-10
Crowd: 19,360

By the Clock:
Welcome to Telstra Stadium for the clash between the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters. Both teams need a win desperately tonight to keep their finals hopes alive.

All origin players will back-up tonight. Both teams are as per program.

It's going to be chilly winters night, but despite that, perfect conditions for a rugby league game.

KICKOFF - Benji Marshall gets us underway.

1 min: NEWS Penalty to Roosters. Tigers were off-side at the kick-off.

4 min: NEWS Tupou makes a great run, passing the half way line but the Roosters fail to capitalise, Morley knocks on.

6 min: NEWS Tigers on the attack. Marshall fires a wide ball out to the wing but it finds the side-line.

8 min: NEWS Sloppy play by both teams in the first few moments of the game. Anasta kicks the ball Soccer style on the last tackle.

13 min: NEWS Finch puts up a high ball on the 5th. Tigers knock it on. Scrum feed to Roosters 10m out.

14 min: NEWS Hodgson manages to hold up Fitzgibbon over the line.

16 min: TRY Sydney Roosters
Brett Finch puts a brilliant grubber kick in for his chasers, Hodgson loses the ball over the line and Foley manages to ground it.
Roosters 6-0

18 min: NEWS Tigers attack the Roosters right hand side and end up forcing a goal line drop-out.

21 min: NEWS Strong defence from the Roosters prevents the Tigers from scoring. Tigers are penalised for pushing Foley back over the try line after the tackle is completed.

23 min: TRY Sydney Roosters
A briliant solo effort from Cross, as he manages to take on two Tigers players and ground the ball inside the in-goal.
Roosters 10-0

28 min: TRY Wests Tigers
Prince throws a dummy, breaks the line and sets his team up well inside the Roosters 20. The ball goes through the hands until it reaches Crockett who juggles the ball over the sideline to score.
Roosters 10-6

30 min: TRY Wests Tigers
The Tigers have managed to run the length of the field in that set of six. Prince runs at the line and once again sets his team up for a try through Galea.
Hodgson converts.
Tigers 12-10

35 min: NEWS Hodgson is tackled high by Soliola. The tackle is placed on report. Penalty awarded to Tigers.

38 min: NEWS Tigers make a huge mistake inside their own 20, the ball ends up inside the Tigers in-goal and Roberts dives on it. Try is disallowed.

HALFTIME - Tigers 12 Roosters 10

Well it's been an exciting first half. Both teams have shown brilliance in attack and their defence has been solid as well. The Tigers need to look at their one on one tackles and the Roosters need to impove on their completions.


42 min: NEWS Tigers come out firing. Price puts a monster of a bomb up but young Foley leaps high and takes it.

44 min: NEWS Shackleton drops the ball whilst trying to play it. Referee Badger lets it go.

48 min: NEWS Prince puts a small grubber kick in to the in-goal and forces a goal line drop-out.

50 min: TRY Wests Tigers
Farrah puts in a kick from dummy-half and it finds Marshall who scores.
Hodgson adds the extras.
Tigers 18-10

51 min: TRY Wests Tigers
Prince puts in a banana kick which finds a Roosters player who loses it. The ball goes to the left through the hands. Farah goes himself from dummy-half and burrows over for the try.
Hodgson narrowly misses the conversion.
Tigers 22-10

58 min: NEWS So far the Tigers have had all the ball in the second-half. Second Half Possesion: Tigers 68% Roosters 38%

64 min: NEWS Roosters continue to struggle to complete their sets after Flannery puts in a shocker of a kick.

66 min: NEWS A superb one on one tackle from Farah forces Wing to lose the ball.

70 min: NEWS Galea makes an attempt at a field-goal but misses.

72 min: TRY Sydney Roosters
Finch kicks high to his right wing where Soliola jumps and knocks it back for Flannery who grounds it. Video Referee awards the try.
Roberts fails to convert.

Tigers 22-14

76 min: TRY Wests Tigers
Marshall dumies and steps before giving a briliant flick pass to Collis who scores.
Hodgson fails to add the two.
Tigers 26-14

FULLTIME - Tigers 26 Roosters 14

What a game! It was a well deserved win by the Tigers who looked dazzling whenever they touched the ball. The Roosters once agian played well in patches but their completions lost them the game.
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Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Robert Farah
2 - Scott Prince
1 - Benji Marshall
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