Wests Tigers Holden Cup team have suffered a tough loss to the Melbourne Storm on Saturday, going down 38-12 at Sunshine Coast Stadium in their Round 16 clash.
The result leaves Wests Tigers in fifth position on the Holden Cup ladder ahead of a big clash against the top-of-the-table Penrith Panthers next Saturday at ANZ Stadium.
With several players omitted from the side after last week's bye, Wests Tigers found themselves down 6-0 after eight minutes of play following a Jesse Arthers try.
The visitors would quickly hit back, however, courtesy of a try to Bayley Sironen after 18 minutes. Veiru Mapesone had no problems adding the extras to level the match at 6-6.
Arthars crossed for his second try after 28 minutes and converted his own try to restore Melbourne's six-point advantage, and despite some gritty defence from Wests Tigers, took a slender advantage into the half-time break at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
Wests Tigers would hit back immediately after the break to level the match at 12-all, with Toa Mata'afa streaking down the wing before putting Paul Roberts away on the inside.
Mapesone's conversion locked the scores up just two minutes into the second half, but from then on, it would be all Melbourne as the Thunderbolts began to pull away.
Charlie Galo's powerful effort from close range to put the hosts back in front, before Jacob Tonge capped off a left-edge breakaway to take the Storm's lead out to 24-12.
Talor Walters made it three tries in five minutes for the home side when he took advantage of an error from the visitors off a cross-field kick, taking the score out to 28-12.
Errors continued to haunt Wests Tigers in the final stanza of the match, as Galo crossed for his second and third tries of the game to blow the game wide open, as Arthars continued his strong afternoon with the boot to slot his fifth conversion and make it 38-12.
NYC FULL TIME — Melbourne Storm 38 (Galo 3, Arthars 2, Tonge, Walters tries; Arthars 5/7 goals) def. Wests Tigers 12 (Sironen, P.Roberts tries; Mapesone 2/2 goals)
Confirmed Lineup — 1. Roman Ioelu 2. Jesse Jackson 3. Ryland Jacobs 4. Sam DeFiddes 5. Toa Mata'afa 6. Veiru Mapesone 7. Thomas Bartley 8. Mark McCormack 9. Daniel Peck 10. Taniela Paseka 11. Bayley Sironen 12. Jakob Giles 13. Jack Wheelhouse (Interchange: 14. Paul Roberts 15. Lenny Sauni 17. Rhys Sciglitano 18. Royce Tout) — Coach: Willie Peters
