Match Report: Round 21 vs Newcastle Knights

After failing to register a point in the first half, Brett Kimmorley’s men surged in the second forty to dominate the run of play.

However, they could not find a late try to complete their comeback in front of a raucous home crowd.

The visitors got away to a fast start as Enari Tuala latched onto a grubber kick from Jake Clifford for the first try of the afternoon.

Tuala soon had his double as the Knights stripped the home side’s defence with a simple right-to-left shift.

Both sides then entered a grinding period of football, with Wests Tigers completing at over 90% through thirty minute of play.

Brent Naden had two chances to cross in the left corner, but was denied on both occasions due to a knock-on and obstruction penalty.

The Knights eventually made the home side pay for their inability to score as Tex Hoy bumped away from one defender and scored underneath the posts.

Newcastle almost extended their advantage late in the half through Bradman Best, but the Knights centre was denied by a desperate one-on-one tackle from Starford To’a.

Despite finishing the half with four consecutive sets on the attack, Wests Tigers were unable to post points and entered the sheds trailing by fourteen.

After a tight start to the second half, Adam Doueihi brought the Campbelltown crowd to life with a towering bomb targeted at winger Dominic Young.

Young was unable to get a hand on the ball and it bounced up to be claimed by Brent Naden for his fourth try in the past three matches.

Asu Kepaoa then cut the deficit to four points with a scintillating run, beating several Newcastle defenders on his way to the line.

A spiralling kick from Jock Madden found the line for a 40/20 with seven minutes remaining, but the home side couldn’t find a way past the Newcastle defence.

Kelma Tuilagi broke through the line in the final minute of play to give his side one final attacking opportunity, but Wests Tigers fell agonisingly short of snatching victory.

Despite the loss, it was a terrific debut for Tom Freebairn who played 54 minutes off the interchange bench for a mammoth 159 running metres and 29 tackles.

Freebairn was supported in the engine room by Joe Ofahengaue, Kelma Tuilagi and Zane Musgroe, who all ran for over 140 metres.

Wests Tigers will now turn their attention to their annual trip to Tamworth, where the club will face the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday evening.