BRISBANE: The losing streak has continued for the Wests Tigers, falling short 24-12 against the Dolphins to cap off an incredible Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium.
The high-flying Dolphins jumped out to an early 12-0 lead as Jack Bostock and Mark Nicholls crossed for tries, before the Tigers hit back before the break.
The tables turned however when Brent Naden and Justin Olam were sin binned on either side of half-time, leaving the Tigers stuck with 11 men for a brief period.
READ MORE: 'Stupid' Yeo moment costs Panthers in shock exit
READ MORE: Schuster opens up on Manly exit, mental health battle
READ MORE: Hynes welcomes Origin challenge after 'risky' win
Naden's sin bin prior to the break for a silly high shot on Bostock left the struggling Tigers a man short at a crucial juncture.
But things only got worse for coach Benji Marshall early in the second half when Justin Olam joined Naden in the bin for a hip-drop tackle.
During the pair's absence, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow streaked away for a long-range try to put the Dolphins further ahead and lighting up Suncorp in his return game.
Fox League commentator Corey Parker condemned the actions of Naden, who cost his side as a sense of deja vu came for the Tigers after a tough campaign.
"That was right across the jaw of Bostock," he said after Naden's incident.
"I don't think he is thinking – it was high, it was intentional, it was careless. It has been their Achilles heel this season."
Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
Api Koroisau gave his side a glimmer of hope in the 53rd minute, but another try for Tabuai-Fidow with just over 10 minutes remaining was the nail in the coffin.
The fullback – who was back on deck after suffering a hamstring injury earlier in the season – mounted a strong case for Origin selection with a stellar performance.
Wayne Bennett's men cemented their place in the NRL top-four with another scrappy win, while the Tigers remain in the bottom-four after a seventh-straight defeat.
The ugly affair concluded a chaotic weekend in Brisbane, which saw plenty of players binned and the likes of Cameron Munster and Bradman Best suffer injuries.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.