Wests Tigers thrash Sharks at
Leichhardt

The West Tigers have thrashed the Cronulla Sharks by 44-12 at Leichhardt Oval this afternoon.

Racing away to a 22-0 lead, the Tigers never looked like being headed and at half time, held a commanding 22-6 lead.

The Sharks made some effort to get back in the match but were out-gunned in all quarters to suffer a humiluating defeat at the hands of a resurgent Tigers' outfit.

Scorers: TIGERS 44 Tries: Halatau 2, Withers, Laffranchi, Beckett, Mears, Clayton Goals: Covell 8/11 defeated SHARKS 12 Tries: Anderson, Hilder Goals: Anderson 2/2

Sunday 13 July 2003 2:30 PM Leichhardt Oval Referee: Stephen Clark

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - T Hill (Tigers) 2 - Withers (Tigers) 1 - L Covell (Tigers)

By the clock: 0 min: Glorious winter sunshine at Leichhardt today. Perfect day for watching footy. Perhaps a little warm for the forwards. Kickoff!!! Tigers defending the southern end...

8 min: PENALTY GOAL - Luke Covell improves his kicking rate (now 87%) and the Tigers pot the first points following some offside play from the Sharks near their posts.

13 min: TRY - Tigers. Dene Halatau scores 10m in from touch following weight of possession. Conversion Covell hits the posts and is unsuccessful. Tigers 6-0

20 min: TRY - Tigers. Lincoln Withers scores under the posts following a bust up the middle and kick ahead from halfway. Set up by Ben Galea. Conversion Covell successful. Tigers 12-0

29 min: TRY - Tigers. Halatau gets a double as the Sharks are looking very weak down their left side. Terry Hill setting up play on this occasion as the Tigers are carving them up. Wide conversion attempt from Covell hits the uprights again and is unsuccessful. Tigers 16-0

32 min: TRY - Tigers. Anthony Laffranchi scores under the posts after dragging some soft Sharks defenders with him. Conversion Covell. Tigers 22-0

37 min: TRY - Sharks. Jarrad Anderson gets one back for the visitors and scores 10m in from touch. Conversion Anderson. Tigers 22-6

40 min: Penalty goal attempt from Covell hits the same same upright for the third time and is unsucessful.

HALF TIME: Tigers with all the ball and looking the goods. The Sharks needs a big turnaround. Tigers 22-6

45 min: No change to the score. The opening 5 minutes of the second half marked by handling errors from both sides.

46 min: PENALTY GOAL - Tigers. Covell posts a two-pointer. NEWS - Sam Isemonger (Sharks) on report for a high tackle and then coming in with the elbow. Tigers 24-6

51 mn: TRY - Tigers. Robbie Beckett scores out wide. Follows high bomb from halfway which bounces poorly for Sharks' fullback David Peachey, who should have attacked the ball, and then straight into Terry Hill's arms. Beckett backs up on the flank to score. Conversion from Covell is a ripper. Tigers well in charge, 30-6

60 min: PENALTY GOAL - Tigers. Sharks penalised for taking out a support player who probably would have scored under the sticks. Covell takes the points. Tigers 32-6

65 min: TRY - Sharks. Matt Hilder scores 5m from posts. Set up by some broken play from Peachey down the right flank. Conversion Anderson is successful. Tigers 32-12

70 min: TRY - Tigers. Robert Mears scores. Conversion successful Covell. Tigers 38-12

80 min: TRY - Tigers. Trent Clayton scores next to the posts right on fulltime. Covell adds the extras. Tigers 44-12.

FULL TIME: The scoreline tells the tale as the Sharks have been thrashed by the Wests Tigers, scoring 7 tries to 2.

Tigers 44-12