Wests Tigers have piled on 16 unanswered points in the final 10 minutes to emerge with a 22-6 win over the Parramatta Eels in their Round 5 match.
Kick-started by an incredible try assist from Pat Richards to James Tedesco, Jason Taylor’s side ran in three tries and a penalty goal in the final 10 minutes of the match to claw their way back from a 6-4 deficit, which had been 6-0 before Kevin Naiqama crossed just before half-time.
The win sees Wests Tigers firmly established inside the top eight heading into their Round 6 match against the New Zealand Warriors at Mount Smart Stadium on April 11.
There's NOTHING quite like a packed hill! Be there on Sunday, April 19 when we take on the Canberra Raiders at Leichhardt Oval!
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Droughts Broken
· Monday’s win was Wests Tigers first win on Monday since their 21-18 triumph over the Parramatta Eels on Easter Monday, 2013. Prior to that, their last win on Monday also came against the Eels, but back in 2012 on August 6 (Round 22, won 51-26).
· The win was Wests Tigers first win at ANZ Stadium since Round 19, 2014, having lost their last four matches at the former Olympic venue since that game.
· Jason Taylor has defeated a team that he previously coached at for the first time since joining Wests Tigers, having lost to South Sydney Rabbitohs in Round 3.
Streaks Continued
· Wests Tigers have only lost one of their last seven (Round 22, 2012, lost 26-22) and three of their last 12 matches against the Parramatta Eels.
· It has been over two years now since Wests Tigers were last held scoreless (Round 4, 2013 against Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, lost 26-0).
Defensive Focus
· Wests Tigers have recorded three second-half clean sheets from their last six matches (Rd.26, 2014 vs. Sharks; Rd.2, 2015 vs. Dragons; Rd.5, 2015 vs. Eels).
· Wests Tigers made five more tackles than the Eels despite having 56% possession for the game. Wests Tigers also missed 21 fewer tackles.
· Through the opening five rounds of the competition, Wests Tigers have the second-best defensive record with 73 points against (1st, Dragons, 58 points against).
· 73 is the fewest points Wests Tigers have conceded in their opening six games for the year in Club history (next best: 90 points after Round 6, 2011).
Milestone Matches
· Pat Richards played his 100th NRL game (37 for Parramatta, 63 for Wests Tigers)
· Martin Taupau played his 50th NRL game (21 for Canterbury, 29 for Wests Tigers)
Individual Takeaways
· Pat Richards has now four tries in his opening five games of the year. He sits second in the competition for most tries and third for total points (31 points). Richards now sits as outright seventh for all-time top most for Wests Tigers with 40 tries. He also moves past Chris Lawrence to outright fourth for most points for the Club with 290.
· Richards became the first winger to assist two tries with a kick since Hazem El Masri in 2005, setting up tries for both James Tedesco and Luke Brooks.
· Luke Brooks has now scored tries in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. Brooks is nine tries away from the most tries by a Wests Tigers halfback in Club history, currently behind premiership-winner Scott Prince with 18 tries.
· James Tedesco has now scored 15 tries in his last 17 games for Wests Tigers, and has scored tries against all bar three NRL clubs (Penrith, Canberra, Manly-Waringah).
· Aaron Woods again led all players with 187 metres from 21 runs. Woods has led all forwards in every game that he has played so far in season 2015.
· Woods and Keith Galloway (167m) ran for more than 300 metres again for the fourth consecutive game in which the pair have started this year.
· Robbie Farah again led all players with 47 tackles, while Kyle Lovett (33), Curtis Sironen (32) and Aaron Woods (32) also made 30-plus tackles for the game.
· James Tedesco made 11 tackle busts against the Eels, more than any other player.
