Media Reports

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WESTS TIGERS BEAT EELS 31-12 TO MAKE IT SIX STRAIGHT
By Wayne Cousins
21/08/2011 4:45:48 PM

Wests Tigers recorded their sixth straight win in the Telstra Premiership today with a resounding 31 -12 victory over Parramatta Eels.

Wests Tigers winger Matt Utai gave his team-mates and fans a massive scare when he took his time in clearing up a kick through from Parramatta second-rower Taniela Lasalo in the 6th minute. Replays showed Utai grounded the ball just before Lasalo placed his hands on it.

Centre Blake Ayshford brought up 100 points in his NRL career for Wests Tigers when he crossed for the opening try in the ninth minute after talented half-back Robert Lui used his strength to brush off 3 defenders to offload to the centre for a 4-0 lead.
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Five-eighth Benji Marshall failed to convert the try from out wide.

A beautiful inside pass by lock Chris Heighington put full-back Tim Moltzen into the clear before he drew in Utai to send the winger over for his first try much to the delight of cheering Wests Tigers Members chanting "Utai, Utai" for an 8-0 lead.

Marshall converted the try for a 10-0 lead after 22 minutes.

Some clever "tunnel ball' play by Utai 40 metres out from a deflected Marshall clearing kick saw Marshall step and weave his way to score a memorable try in the 28th minute to break the Wests Tigers Club Points Scoring record set by 2005 premiership winning full-back Brett Hodgson.

Hodgson's record was 786 points in 102 games (38 tries, 317 goals).

Marshall converted his own try to give Wests Tigers a 16-0 lead after 29 minutes.

The score remained that way until half-time.

2nd Half
Utai was denied his second try in the 42nd minute when he was taken into touch in-goal in trying to plant the ball down in a two man tackle.

Parramatta took advantage of consecutive penalties when a cut out pass by five-eighth Jarryd Hayne saw winger Chris Hicks dive over in the corner in the 47th minute for a 16-4 scoreline.

Full-back Luke Burt converted the try from the sideline for a 16-6 scoreline after 49 minutes.

The Eels got back to 16-10 in the 52nd minute when a crossfield bomb by Hayne was spilt by winger Mitch Brown and into the arms of centre Ben Smith to score out wide. Burt converted the try for a 16-12 scoreline in favour of Wests Tigers.

Ayshford gave Wests Tigers some breathing space when he brushed off Hayne and Mark Horo to race 40 metres to dive over in the corner for his second try in the 59th minute for a 20-12 lead.

Marshall converted the try from the sideline for a 22-12 scoreline after 60 minutes.

It became 24-12 when Marshall converted a penalty goal after Parramatta were ruled offiside a few minutes later.

Hooker and captain Robbie Farah secured victory five minutes from full-time when he landed a field goal attempt for a 25-12 lead.

Winger Beau Ryan then topped the win off with a try in ther right corner from a Marshall cut out pass for a 29-12 lead.

Marshall converted the try on full-time for a 31-12 win.

 

[Guest]

Ayshford double leads Tigers charge
David Beniuk
August 21, 2011 - 5:55PM
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Rampaging centre Blake Ayshford grabbed a double as the Wests Tigers kept their top four hopes alive with a 31-12 victory over Parramatta in their NRL clash at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Ayshford scored tries either side of the break, the second embarrassing star Eels five-eighth Jarryd Hayne, who was shrugged off with ease before the centre ran 40m to all but seal the match.

Without key forward Gareth Ellis, who was ruled out before kick-off, the Tigers withstood an early second half comeback from the Eels to score five tries to two in front of 18,626 fans.

Tim Sheens' men led 16-0 at the break but 16-12 after 52 minutes before scoring the final two tries.

In the process, star playmaker Benji Marshall overhauled former captain Brett Hodgson's club record of 786 points to become the join venture club's highest pointscorer with 797.
Tim Moltzen finds open space for the Tigers.

The Tigers move to sixth on the ladder after a sixth straight win and a top four finish is a real possibility with games against cellar dwellers Gold Coast and Cronulla to come.

Parramatta are dead last after Gold Coast beat Canberra on last night and their round 26 clash with the Titans, who are one point ahead, shapes as a "grand final" to avoid the wooden spoon.

As well as Ayshford, Matt Utai and Marshall scored tries for the Tigers, with Marshall adding five from six with the boot and Robbie Farah a field goal.

For Parramatta, Chris Hicks and Ben Smith bagged four-pointers, while Luke Burt kicked two from two.

The Tigers looked to have increased their halftime lead three minutes after the break but Utai was unable to ground the ball over the line.

Parramatta gave themselves some hope when Jarryd Hayne sent winger Hicks over out wide four minutes later, Burt's conversion making it 16-6.And the Eels were back in it at 16-12 when Smith grabbed the scraps of a Hayne bomb and dived over.

Ayshford's try in the 59th minute made it 22-12 and a 67th minute Marshall penalty goal took the Tigers out to two converted tries.

Farah added a 76th minute field goal and Ryan a 79th minute try from a superb Marshall cut-out ball.

Earlier, after Parramatta had ruined their early territorial advantage with errors, the Tigers scored with their first foray into the Eels' danger zone.

Robert Lui, who a report on Sunday linked with a move to North Queensland, beat three defenders and popped an overhead pass for Ayshford to score in the 10th minute and it was 4-0.

Quick hands from Marshall and Chris Heighington sent Utai over in the 22nd before Marshall capitalised on a Casey McGuire error, dummying, stepping and swerving his way to the Tigers' record and a 16-0 lead.

 

[Guest]

Tigers lock up finals spot

Updated August 21, 2011 18:33:29
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Wests Tigers will certainly play a part in the semi-finals series for 2011 after dominating western rival Parramatta 31-12 on Sunday, as Benji Marshall became the joint venture's greatest ever pointscorer.

The Tigers, on 30 competition points, are now two wins clear of Newcastle (eighth, 26) and South Sydney (ninth, 26) and leapfrog the free-falling Dragons into sixth spot on the ladder.

The Tigers raced clear by half-time, leading the visitors 16-0 at Sydney Football Stadium, and withstood two tries in a five-minute period from the Eels in the second half to win their sixth match in a row.

Another converted try would have put Wests above the Cowboys in fifth, but that spot or even a top four finish are not out of the question with favourable fixtures against Gold Coast and Cronulla remaining in the regular season.

Marshall scored a try and booted five goals to pick up 14 points, enough to eclipse Brett Hodgson's previous record of 786 points as the most prolific scorer in the club's history.

Marshall now has 797 points to his name.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens seemed concerned with how his side faded after half-time but was happy with their overall performance.

"That's two weeks in a row we've led by 16 and let the opponent back in. The start to both halves was ordinary," he told Grandstand.

"But they (Eels) had to score from kicks and bounces going their way, rather than run through us, so I was pretty happy with the defence."

Rampaging centre Blake Ayshford grabbed a double - with tries either side of the break - the second embarrassing star Eels five-eighth Jarryd Hayne who was shrugged off with ease before the centre ran 40m to all but seal the match.

Without key forward Gareth Ellis, who was ruled out before kick-off, the Tigers withstood an early second half comeback from the Eels to score five tries to two.

Parramatta is dead last after Gold Coast beat Canberra on Saturday night and its round 26 clash with the Titans, who are one point ahead, shapes as a "grand final" to avoid the wooden spoon.

As well as Ayshford, Matt Utai and Marshall scored tries for the Tigers, with Marshall adding five from six with the boot and Robbie Farah a field goal.

For Parramatta, Chris Hicks and Ben Smith bagged four-pointers, while Luke Burt kicked two from two.

Tigers half-back Robert Lui left the field with a corked thigh late in the match but he is expected will line up against the Titans next week.