Media Reports

[Guest]

WESTS TIGERS LOSE 30-16 TO CANBERRA
By Wayne Cousins
26/03/2012 8:50:02 PM

Wests Tigers turned in a very disappointing performance in losing 30-16 to Canberra Raiders at Campbelltown Sports Stadium tonight.

The loss leaves Wests Tigers with one win after 4 rounds of the Telstra Premiership.

The match saw Chris Heighington equal the Club record for most first grade games set by John Skandalis (185).

Wests Tigers Head Coach Tim Sheens moved Tim Moltzen to full-back with Tom Humble dropping back to the interchange bench. Jacob Miller was promoted from the NYC side to play his fifth NRL game at half-back.

Video referee Paul Simpkins ruled no try in the third minute to Canberra winger Jack Wighton off a bomb from five-eighth Terry Campese after the ball was spilt in-goal in a contest with winger Beau Ryan.

Canberra opened the scoring in the 5th minute when half-back Josh McCrone ran into a hole between prop Matt Groat and lock Chris Heighington to step past Tim Moltzen to score next to the posts.

Centre Jarrod Croker converted the try for a 6-0 lead to Canberra.

Wests Tigers opened their account in the 12th minute when a short pass from five-eighth Benji Marshall put second-rower Gareth Ellis over. Marshall converted the try for a 6-all.

Some desperate scrambling defence by Ryan prevented a Canberra try in the 27th minute after the Raiders made a 70 metre break only for the ball to end up in Marshall's arm on the Wests Tigers tryline.

A highlight of the first half has been the strong defence by Miller, particularly on one on one tackles.

Miller was awarded a try in the 32nd minute after Simpkins ruled a pass from Ellis to Miller bounced off his hands instead of his chest with Miller then getting off the ground quickly to dive on the ball. The try was awarded on the benefit of the doubt to give Wests Tigers a 10-6 lead.

Marshall converted the try for a 12-6 lead after 34 minutes.

Wests Tigers breathed a sigh of relief in the 36th minute after a pass from Campese was ruled forward to Wighton. The Raiders got the ball from a scrum win after Ellis dropped the ball from the re-start.

Canberra got back to 12-10 in the 38th minute when a short grubber kick by Marshall saw the ball bounce into the arms of Campese who passed to Croker. The centre raced 75 metres to score in the left corner after outsprinting Moltzen.
Croker failed to convert the try to leave Wests Tigers leading 12-10 at half-time.

2nd Half
Canberra took a 14-12 lead when forward Sam Mataora used his strength to brush off centre Blake Ayshford to slam the ball down with one hand near the posts. Croker converted the try for a 16-12 lead after 48 minutes.

Wests Tigers winger Joel Reddy saved a try in the 52nd minute when he forced second-rower Joel Thompson to lose the ball over the tryline after the second-rower went through a gap after centre Chris Lawrence rushed up in defence.

Centre Chris Lawrence was replaced on report for a lifting tackle in the 56th minute on Wighton.

Croker converted a penalty goal in the 58th minute to give the Raiders an 18-12 lead after Wests Tigers were penalised in front of the posts.

Campese extended the Raiders lead to 22-12 in the 65th minute when he crashed through Marshall from dummy half to plant the ball down. Croker converted the try for a 24-12 lead.

Croker scored his second try when he finished off a 40 metre play to score out after running of a pass from Bronson Harrison. He converted his own try for a 30-12 lead after 70 minutes.

Wests Tigers got back to 30-16 when Moltzen scored off an inside pass from Chris Heighington 10 metres out from the tryline. Marshall's conversion attempt hit the upright.

 

[Guest]

Impressive Raiders gun down Tigers
March 26, 2012 - 9:02PM

Wests Tigers' early season woes continued on Monday night when Canberra inflicted a third loss in four games upon the pre-season NRL premiership favourites at Campbelltown Stadium.

The Raiders chalked up a comfortable 30-16 victory, their first win in eight against the joint venture, thanks to two tries from Jarrod Croker and four-pointers from Josh McCrone, Jarrod Croker, Sam Mataora and skipper Terry Campese.

Campese was impressive throughout for his side, who were missing fullback Josh Dugan and influential backrower Shaun Fensom, and easily won the battle of the five-eighths with Benji Marshall.
Advertisement: Story continues below

Marshall was unable to assert any significant influence over the game as the Tigers desperately missed the presence of skipper Robbie Farah around the ruck.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens shifted Tim Moltzen to fullback and drafted young Jacob Miller into halfback in an attempt to kickstart his misfiring attack.

However, it was the visitors who started the brighter with McCrone latching onto a sweet pass from Campese with just five minutes on the clock.

The Tigers hit back when Gareth Ellis charged over from close range six minutes later, and Miller gave the hosts the lead when he latched onto a loose ball, which he appeared to have knocked forward.

Croker hit back for the visitors when he raced 75 metres just before halftime after Campese hauled in a Benji Marshall grubber-kick just in front of his own line and offloaded to the centre, who outpaced Moltzen to touch down.

The Raiders came racing out of the traps after the interval and their dominance was rewarded when Mataora brushed aside three players to score six minutes after the restart.

Campese sealed the win with a fourth try for the visitors 13 minutes from fulltime and Croker added his second shortly after to add some gloss to the scoreline before Moltzen added a late consolation for the hosts.

Croker kicked five goals for the Raiders, with Marshall kicking two for Tigers.