New signing Max Liles was the hero on Sunday afternoon, as the Jersey Flegg Cup debutant kicked a last-minute field goal to give Wests Tigers a 13-12 victory against the Roosters at Wentworth Park.
Match: Roosters v Wests Tigers
Round 19 -
home Team
Roosters
12th Position
away Team
Wests Tigers
6th Position
Venue: Wentworth Park, Sydney
After arriving at the club in recent weeks, the former Tweed Seagull also scored a try in the win, which is Wests Tigers’ 10th of the season in the U/21s competition.
The home side opened the scoring through hooker Alan Holten, with Josh Durkin’s conversion making it 6-0 to the Roosters after four minutes of play.
Wests Tigers levelled proceedings through powerful back-rower Zakauri Clarke, one of this team’s most impressive performers throughout the season.
Clarke has also spent time in the Wests Magpies NSW Cup lineup in 2024, and his try and conversion levelled the scores with 20 minutes gone.
Five-eighth Liles ensured the visitors burst out of the blocks after the break, scoring to give Wests Tigers the lead in the opening minute of the second half.
A 57th-minute scuffle saw Holten and Clarke sin-binned and the Roosters capitalised best on the 12 v 12 situation, with teenage centre Kade Maguire scoring with eight minutes remaining.
With Durkin’s conversion making it 12-12, the match needed a clutch moment to ensure a winner, and it was provided through Liles, who stepped up to coolly slot home the 69th-minute field goal and give Wests Tigers the win.
