Match Report: vs Canberra Raiders

Tim Sheens’ side conceded the first points of the afternoon before scoring seven unanswered tries as they steadily built upon their lead in the second half.

Neither side was able to trouble the scorers in the first twenty minutes as both teams struggled to find their attacking rhythm.

The Raiders eventually grabbed the first try of the match through an entertaining 60-metre effort.

However, Wests Tigers wasted no time in levelling the scores with Brent Naden producing a ‘Gidley Flick’ to send Junior Tupou over in the corner.

Canberra fullback Jordan Rapana was then sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Adam Doueihi.

The five-eighth was able to brush off the hit and make the most of the man-advantage by sending Tommy Talau through a gaping hole in the defensive line.

Following the halftime break, Tim Sheens’ side continued their attacking momentum as Brandon Wakeham launched a long-range attacking raid that ended with Asu Kepaoa scoring underneath the posts.

An Adam Doueihi 40/20 then allowed Charlie Staines to score with his second touch of the ball.

Repeated errors from the Raiders continued to invite the home side onto the attack, and the home side obliged with a pair of tries to David Nofoaluma and Justin Matamua.

Much to the delight of the Belmore crowd, Wests Tigers brought out the razzle-dazzle for a flamboyant four-pointer in the final minutes that included thirteen passes and ended with an acrobatic dive into the corner from Junior Tupou.

The try rounded out a terrific team performance as Tim Sheens’ men completed at 84% and missed only fourteen tackles.

With the preseason now complete, Wests Tigers will hit the training field once more with all eyes on the club’s Round 1 fixture against the Gold Coast Titans at Leichhardt Oval.