Benji Marshall returns to Campbelltown for MNF, that’s the headline this evening but there are many other fantasy-relevant players here this evening… Farah especially. (Pre-match)
And we are away, Tigers kick off. (Pre-match)
Some regulation sets to begin with, kicks coming from near midfield and not threatening as yet. (1H 0:45)
Tigers penalty 40m from the Dragons line, Marshall taps quickly but his own team was just as surprised as the opposition and his pass is knocked on. (1H 1:41)
Brooks passes to Galloway 5m out but it bounces off his hands well forward. Video ref to confirm. (1H 2:25)
Ah, but did Mata’uita touch it on the way through? He did, but it went backwards so the knock on is still against Galloway as it bounced off his shoulder. (1H 3:38)
But the ref pays the knock on against Mata’uita. Hmm. (1H 3:38)
From the next play, Tedesco makes half a line break on the right side, passes as he’s going to ground in the tackle by Widdop to Naiqama for the try! (1H 5:36)
Richards misses the sideline conversion, just to the right. (1H 5:36)
Mata’uita beats Tedesco to a high kick 20m out from his own line. (1H 5:36)
Moses fields a Marshall grubber under the post and is caught in goal. (1H 8:10)
Tedesco fields the next Marshall grubber from 15m and is tackled over the backline. (1H 9:19)
O’Brien loses the footy on attack under a triple tackle 35m out from the Tiger line. (1H 10:12)
Richards is penalised on the next play, Wests get good field position for their next set 30m out. (1H 11:28)
Brooks grubbers on the left wing from 10m, three Tigers chase and Tedesco is there first to catch and touch down in a quicksilver move! (1H 11:46)
The Dragons were extremely slow getting to that ball, they just didn’t want it nearly as much as Tedesco, who has started this game like a house on fire! (1H 12:27)
That really was too easy, though. Dragons were nowhere. (1H 12:27)
Richards just misses the conversion from near the left sideline, again going to the right of the goalpost. (1H 13:26)
Simona comes up with the ball after a mistake fielding a smothered kick 40m out by the Dragons. (1H 16:19)
Tedesco passes outside to the left wing where Richards is the last man and can waltz in for the third Tiger try! (1H 16:19)
Galloway was the Tiger who got in front of the kicker at midfield to force the ricochet to set up that score. (1H 16:36)
Another penalty against St George to put the Tigers 40m out from the line for their next set. (1H 20:12)
Finally Lawrence concedes a penalty on defence to relieve the pressure… but the kick doesn’t find touch! Wests attacks again. (1H 21:12)
Galloway goes himself from dummy half 5m out but Sironen and Farrell conspire to force a knock on. (1H 22:14)
Merrin off the bench, about the same time as last week. (1H 22:48)
Marshall’s pass to Frizell is timed poorly and results in a knock on at midfield. St George is looking all at sea. (1H 23:37)
Simona goes to Richards on the left wing and again he’s the last man as his defender went to Richards, he goes in standing up once again for his second try! (1H 23:37)
Nightingale is having a mare in defence on the Dragons’ right wing. (1H 24:18)
Richards finally converts a try from the left sideline, having had several sighters. (1H 25:30)
Farah almost makes a break at midfield, just cut down in time. (1H 26:10)
Tedesco chases a long kick to the line, Mata’uita challenges in the air, they collide and the ball spills, penalty goes against Tedesco. (1H 26:13)
Penalty against St George for a dangerous tackle 15m out, again Wests press with excellent field position. (1H 29:22)
And another one for holding on in the tackle on the goal line. Dragons are abject at the moment. (1H 31:03)
Simona has Richards on the outside once again for a clear run to the line but his quick give goes wayward and dribbles out of bounds. (1H 31:09)
Marshall tries a grubber 5m out on a quick attack to the right wing but two Tigers rush him and it bounces back, no score results. (1H 33:40)
Seumanufagai is penalised on defence at midfield to give the Dragons a rare red zone set. (1H 34:13)
Widdop chips to the left corner, Naiqama beats Nabuli to the fall and taps it over the backline. (1H 34:58)
Mata’utia passes to the left wing where Nielsen breaks past a stumbling Naiqama to fall over for the try. (1H 36:56)
Conversion is well wide. (1H 38:05)
Lawrence cleans up a high bomb just outside his own line as the half time hooter sounds. (1H 38:26)
That was a complete obliteration by the Tigers in the middle 30 minutes of that half. The try by St George just before half time gives them hope. (Half Time)
The only reason that the Dragons are still within striking distance is a few close misses on conversions by Richards. (Half Time)
Naiqama is again targeted by a Marshall kick early in the second half but is up to the task 25m from his own line. (Half Time)
Farah off for the first 10m of the second half, as planned. (Half Time)
Moses chases a high Tedesco bomb and reaches it in between three Dragons 10m out, but knocks on. (2H 40:23)
L’Estrange passes forward from dummy half at midfield to Marshall, who is having a mare so far. (2H 41:11)
L’Estrange is then penalised in the tackle next play. (2H 42:09)
Moses kicks from 5m but straight to Frizell, no danger. (2H 43:14)
Mata’uita runs to field a kick that lands 20m out but it bounces off him and back to the Tigers for a red zone set. (2H 44:14)
Brooks passes forward to two Tigers from 10m, Cooper and Marshall providing good positioning to force the error. (2H 45:20)
Naiqama knocks on flying for a bomb to the left wing against Nabuli. Red zone set coming up for St George. (2H 47:14)
Mata’utia crosses on the right wing but doesn’t touch down because Farrell obstructed Brooks rather obviously. (2H 48:12)
Richards makes a dangerous run to the left wing, two go to him so Richards is again free on the sideline but this time the pass is too high and Richards runs into the corner post. (2H 49:11)
Mata’utia drops the ball on attack 20m out, yet another timing error by the Dragons. (2H 50:21)
Farah is penalised in defence against Merrin 40m out from his own line, could have been ruled the other way though. (2H 52:07)
Naiqama beats Nabuli again in an air battle on the wing, he passes forward but the ref rules he jumped from outside the in goal so it’s a line drop out. (2H 52:57)
Widdop again test Naiqama with a crossfield chip, again Naiqama is up to it with a clean catch 5m out. (2H 53:52)
Simona runs down the left sideline and tries a chip inside from 15m but it bounces off L’Estrange and back to the Dragons. (2H 55:05)
Yet another Widdop bomb at Naiqama on the wing, this time Nabuli knocks on. (2H 55:39)
Naiqama tries a pass on his knees from 10m on a break down the right wing but it goes to ground and is cleaned up by the Dragons. (2H 56:25)
Mata’utia fields a high Brooks kick 5m out with no problem. (2H 59:09)
Marshall tries his luck against Naiqama but the Tiger is good enough to dive and catch that one as well! (2H 59:48)
Brooks pulls down Nightingale on the right wing after a feed by Marshall almost put him through. (2H 61:38)
Tedesco has a gallop down the left wing from near his own line and makes about 30m before being cut down. (2H 63:23)
Nightingale plays the ball to himself (?) near midfield but his pass is intercepted by Naiqama. (2H 65:07)
Moses tries a pass to Halatau on the right wing 15m out but Widdop knocks it down to prevent a certain try. (2H 65:07)
Widdop plays at a Farah grubber from 10m, it comes off his foot over the backline for a line drop out. (2H 70:10)
Woods draws a penalty under the posts, the Tigers go for the penalty goal, a bit of a concession that they are lacking a bit on attack. (2H 71:36)
Richards pops through the chip shot. (2H 71:36)
A Moses kick drifts towards the right sideline and takes a lucky bounce in field, but is fielded by Widdop with no drama. (2H 73:10)
Farah kicks over the backline from 30m. (2H 76:12)
Naiqama finally drops a kick to the in goal but Lawrence is there to ground the spillage. (2H 78:27)
