Round 9
Tigers 24 d. Sea Eagles 18

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Crowd helps gets Wests Tigers home
Mon May 8, 2006
Source: www.weststigers.com.au

Assistant Wests Tigers coach Royce Simmons says the team's army of supporters helped the side get over the line against Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday, May 7.

In front of a crowd of 20, 231, the Wests Tigers dug deep to record a 24-18 victory in round nine of the NRL Premiership to move into the top eight.

Injuries and the availability of Kiwi Test players Benji Marshall and Paul Whatuira saw the make-up of the side only finalised an hour before kick-off.

The match also marked the return from off-season shoulder surgery of talented lock Dene Halatau.

"It was a good atmosphere, a lot of people turned up, and in the end, it was what probably helped get us home," Simmons said of the crowd.

"When you hear the Tigers chant towards the end of the game and you are fatigued, there is no doubt it gives you a bit of a push on. Once again, our crowds have been really good for us."

On a day when the sun was shining brightly on the old girl (Leichhardt Oval), and fans were packed on top of each other, the Wests Tigers jumped to an early 4-0 lead after prop Todd Payten dived over from a short pass by hooker Robbie Farah.

It became 10-0 after nine minutes after a break by Farah found winger Jamaal Lolesi who turned the ball back inside to send acting five-eighth Daniel Fitzhenry to the tryline.

The try saw Fitzhenry equal the record of 30 tries for the club set by John Wilson and Kevin McGuinness.

As they showed the previous week in the victory over Parramatta, Manly hit back quickly with tries to Steve Menzies and Michael Monaghan to trail 10-8 after 20 minutes.

Winger Shane Elford stopped Manly going over three minutes later with a great one on tackle to put opposite winger Paul Stephenson into touch.

The Tigers faithful then gave an almighty cheer when New Zealand Test five-eighth Benji Marshall took to the field in the 27th minute.

Manly hit the lead 10 minutes out from half-time when centre Steve Bell scored out wide for a 12-10 scoreline. Wests Tigers supporters and officials were left stunned when replays showed that hooker Shayne Dunley was clearly offside after Steve Mattai knocked down a pass from Ryan O'Hara.

Fired up by the controversy, the Wests Tigers lifted and were rewarded with a fine try to centre Dean Collis after a great backline play. Hodgson converted from the sideline for a 16-14 lead at the break.

Half-back Scott Prince extended the lead to 22-14 eight minutes after half-time when he intercepted a desperate pass 10 metres out from the tryline to score a converted try under the posts.

Manly were not done with and some Menzies magic out wide saw Stephenson score in the corner to trail 22-18.

A disallowed try to Marshall in the 60th minute left Wests Tigers supporters fuming but the video referee ruled a Manly player had been taken out in backplay, resulting in the spilt ball for Marshall to score.

However the Wests Tigers sealed the match when Hodgson landed a penalty goal for an incorrect play the ball by Stephenson in the 73rd minute to take the score to 24-18.

Hodgson praised his team-mates for lifting another level despite some controversial calls against the side.

"Sometimes decisions can go against you and you have to dig a little bit deeper," he said.

"I am just proud of everyone in our side who did dig deep and made sure we got over the top of a very classy side. Manly have got some brilliant players and we have seen over the past couple of weeks that they have come from behind to win games."

Simmons described the win as gutsy considering the side had several injury concerns leading into the match.

"It was a good performance considering we came off the bye. Not too many sides come off the bye and win," Simmons said.

"It wasn't only that. Brett Hodgson didn't decide he was playing until Thursday, we had the situation with Benji as to whether he was going to play, and Robbie Farah trained earlier in the week at half-back but ended up back at hooker.

"We had doubts on Ben Galea who pulled out at the last training session, Todd Payten and Anthony Laffranchi were touch and go right up until the day of the game, so with all of those things, it was a good, gutsy win."

Report sent by: www.weststigers.com.au


Controversy the order as Wests Tigers move into Top 8
Mon May 8, 2006
Defending NRL Premiers Wests Tigers have moved into the Top 8 for the first time since the opening round after defeating Manly 24-18 in an absolute thrilling and controversial game in front of a packed house at Leichhardt Oval.

Both sides produced an epic game with the performance of referee Russell Smith adding further to the dramas and tensions of such an important clash watched by a crowd jam packed close to the action.

Manly coach Des Hasler risks a fine upwards of $10,000 after questioning whether Englishman Smith knows the rules. Smith has not had a happy time in the NRL this year with only Jason Robinson causing more controversy than Smith, who was also disliked in England by the supporters where some claimed he was allegedly bias towards Wigan and some other clubs.

Hasler in the post-match conference yesterday said, "I thought it was a very entertaining game of football but both sides had to endure some very questionable refereeing decisions.
"That's what it's going to come back to, what all the comments are going to be about, so much so I'm not sure the referee knows the rules.
"And that went both ways, for both sides."

Wests Tigers Assistant Coach Royce Simmons was more sympathetic towards Smith and said, "I feel a bit sorry for him and the rest of the staff there today. I thought they were probably a little bit embarrassed, the whole lot of them, from up the top down to the bottom."

Simmons however stopped short of agreeing or disagreeing with Hasler's comments that Smith didn't know the rules saying that it's the opinion of his 1986 Kangaroo Tour teammate.

The actual clash was an absolute classic with the passion of the crowd lifting the performance of both sides.

Wests Tigers led 16-14 at the break with both sides scoring three tries a piece. Todd Payten and Daniel Fitzhenry gave the home side a great start with tries in the opening eight minutes for Wests to lead 10-0. Manly bounced back with tries to Steve Menzies (14th minute), Michael Monaghan (19th) and Steven Bell (30th) to lead 14-10. Dean Collis scored three minutes before the break as the Tigers regained the lead on the stroke of halftime.

Scott Prince extended Wests lead in the 47th minute when he scored but Manly plugged it back to a four point margin when Paul Stephenson crossed over in the 56th minute.

Wests were clinging onto a four point lead and pushed that out to a converted try when Brett Hodgson landed a penalty goal six minutes from fulltime.

The match was played to the level that we expect in the elite competition. Manly might have lost the game but they are proving as worthy contenders for the title this year.

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