NYC: Wests Tigers beat Storm 24-22 to claim fourth spot
By Wayne Cousins
Saturday 1 September 2012 4:28 PM
NYC: Wests Tigers beat Storm 24-22 to claim fourth spot
The side finished the regular season 34 points through 15 wins in the first year of coaching for former premiership winning club prop Todd Payten.
Wests Tigers opened the scoring in the 10th minute when half-back Jacob Miller provided a short ball for full-back Kurtis Rowe to score out wide. Miller – replacing the dropped Manaia Rudolph – failed to convert the try from the sideline in the strong wind for a 4-0 lead.
Centre Bradley Soe gave Wests Tigers an 8-0 lead after 15 minutes when he scored from dummy half. Miller converted the try for a 10-0 lead.
Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma sliced and stepped his way through three defenders to score a superb individual try from dummy half for a 14-0 lead. Miller converted from close range for a 16-0 lead after 28 minutes.
The Storm were reduced to 12 men when one of their players was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes in the 32nd minutes for holding down Rowe too long after an 80 metre break.
Melbourne hit back when James De Saxe toed through a loose pass to pick the ball up to score in the corner in the 34th minute. Winger Jack Joass failed to convert from the sideline for a 16-4 scoreline.
Wests Tigers extended their lead to 20-4 when Nofoaluma dived over in the left corner for his second try in the 39th minute. Miller failed to convert the try.
2nd Half
Melbourne got back to 20-8 in the 43rd minute through a try next to the posts to five-eighth Denny Solomona. The try was converted by Joass to leave the Storm trailing 20-10.
A few minutes later, Joass made a long break down the left flank to be tackled inside the Wests Tigers quarter. A quick play the ball saw lock Tohu Harris score in the corner. Joass converted the try fronm the sideline to leave the Storm trailing 20-16 after 55 minutes.
The Storm scored a try against the run of play when half-back Ben Hampton raced 60 metres to score. Joass converted the try to give Melbourne a 22-20 lead after 66 minutes.
Wests Tigers regained the lead when a crossfield kick by Miller found Nofoaluma who managed to carry a couple of Storm defenders over the tryline in the 74th minute. Miller missed the conversion attempt.
Wests Tigers team
1\. Kurtis Rowe 2\. David Nofoaluma 3 Bradley Soe 4 Asipeli Fine 14 Sitaleki Akaoula, 20\. Matt Mulcahy
7\. Jacob Miller, 18\. Sauaso Sue, 9\. Ben Saunders, 10\. Mosese Fotuaika, 11\. Joel Luani 12\. Kyle Lovett
16\. Inno Inosesio; Interchange 8\. Soni Paasi, 13\. Brendan Santi, 15\. Nathan Brown, 17\. Shane Lalogafa
