Round 10
Newcastle Knights 26 l. Wests Tigers 38

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Marshall and Farah make successful returns
Mon May 19, 2008
Source: www.weststigers.com.au

Wests Tigers recorded a hard fought but exciting 38-26 win over the Newcastle Knights at EnergyAustralia Stadium in round 10 of the Telstra Premiership.

The win takes Wests Tigers to 12 competition points and leaves them in eight position on the ladder.

Apart from the vital two competition points, the win over the Knights also signaled the fine return from injury of five-eighth Benji Marshall and hooker Robbie Farah.

Marshall scored two tries in the win as did captain and full-back Brett Hodgson. Chris Heighington was named man-of-the-match.

Wests Tigers opened the scoring in the 11th minute when full-back and captain Brett Hodgson ran and showed the ball before stepping back inside to beat the defence to score.

Hodgson converted his own try for a 6-0 lead.

Newcastle hit back five minutes later when five-eighth Chris Bailey ran through a gap between Marshall and lock Dene Halatau to step past the defence to score. Full-back Wes Naiqama converted for a 6-6 scoreline.

Hodgson scored his second try in the 21st minute when a Farah grubber kick sat up perfectly in-goal for the full-back to score next to the posts. He converted his own try for a 12-6 lead after 22 minutes.

Newcastle hit back three minutes later when a crossfield run by centre Adam McDougall saw Bailey step back inside the defence to score his second try. Naiqama converted for a 12-12 scoreline after 25 minutes.

The video referee was called on after a high bomb on the last tackle by half-back John Morris sat up in the strong breeze before bouncing into the arms of Marshall to score. The try was awarded.

Hodgson failed to convert the try from out wide for a 16-12 lead.

Half-back Mathew Head came on for Farah five minutes before half-time, resulting in Morris moving to hooker to make way for Head.

Two minutes before half-time, Newcastle levelled when a bomb by Jarrod Mullen was taken by winger James McManus, who found support in Mullen before offloading to Bailey to score his third try.

Winger Taniela Tuiaki made the mistake of not contesting the bomb. Naiqama failed to convert to leave the scores locked at 16-16 at half-time.

Newcastle jumped to a 20-16 lead two minutes after half-time when Scott Dureau dived over from dummy half to score. Naiqama converted for a 22-16 lead.

A great 40/20 kick by Marshall put Wests Tigers on the attack in the 48th minute through a scrum win 10 metres out.

It resulted in a try one minute later when lock Liam Fulton ran onto a well timed short pass by Head to score out wide.

Hodgson converted to level the scores at 22-22 after 50 minutes. Farah returned to the field two minutes later with Morris coming off, leaving Head at half-back. It is the first time this season that Hodgson, Marshall, Head and Farah had been on the field together for a game.

Marshall scored a solo 45 metre try when he ran into a gap and then stepped past Naiqama to score under the posts for his second try.

He didn't fully extend himself in the run to the tryline but still had too much class for Naiqama.

Hodgson converted for a 28-22 scoreline after 57 minutes.

The video referee was again called on to determine if winger Shannon McDonnell had scored in the corner. He did.

The try came after the ball was spread right through Chris Heighington to Head to Marshall, who showed great vision to kick the ball behind the defensive line for McDonnell to plant the ball down in the corner. His efforts even had the common man on the hill cheering.

Hodgson failed to convert the try to leave Wests Tigers with a 32-22 lead after 63 minutes.

Wests Tigers went to a handy 36-22 lead when Hodgson turned the ball back to the right to McDonell who offloaded to second-rower Ben Te'o who proved too strong for Mullen to score in the corner.

Hodgson converted from the sideline for a 38-22 lead after 67 minutes.

Newcastle hit back in the 70th minute when a break by Mullen downfield resulted in giant winger Cooper Vuna scoring out wide. Naiqama missed the conversion attempt to leave the Knights trailing 38-26.

McDonnell almost got his second try in the 73rd minute but a high pass from Marshall to the unmarked winger went through his hands and into touch.

Wests Tigers held on the end for a well deserved victory which sets up an exciting round 11 clash at historic Leichhardt Oval on Sunday, May 25, against competition leaders Gold Coast Titans.

It will be the first time Wests Tigers have played at Leichhardt Oval this season and marks the return of former Wests Tigers stars Scott Prince and Anthony Laffranchi to the grand old ground since leaving the club.

Report Source: www.weststigers.com.au

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