WESTS TIGERS BEAT MANLY 50-22 IN NYC
By Wayne Cousins, Bluetongue Stadium
9/03/2012 6:46:10 PM
Wests Tigers NYC side recorded their first win of the season with a crushing 50-22 victory over Manly Sea Eagles at Bluetongue Stadium tonight.
In an impressive performance, Wests Tigers ran in 9 tries to 4 to give former premiership winning prop Todd Payten his first victory in the NYC as a coach.
More importantly, it marked a vast improvement on the disappointing second half performance in the loss to Cronulla in round 1 when Wests Tigers all but had the match won at half-time.
Wests Tigers opened the scoring in the 6th minute when half-back Jacob Miller delivered a fine short ball for prop Mosese Fotuaika to crash over next to the posts. Five-eighth Manaia Rudolph converted for a 6-0 lead.
Five minutes later, Manly put their first points on the board with a try to centre Jackson Williams in the left corner. The try was not converted by second-rower Dylan Kelly for a 6-4 scoreline.
A break down the left flank by Manly half-back Josh Drinkwater took play inside Wests Tigers quarter. On the next play, the ball was spread right before lock Patrick Patelesio-Sipley used his strength to brush off three defenders to score out wide. Kelly converted the try to give Manly a 10-6 lead after 20 minutes.
Another quality cut out pass by Miller put Fijian winger Marika Koroibete over in the left corner for his third try in two games. Rudolph failed to convert the try for a 10-all scoreline after 27 minutes.
Wests Tigers produced the try of the first half in the 35th minute when Rudolph dived over under the posts after an initial break on the play before by left centre Michael Kai who linked up with Koroibete only for the winger to be pulled down short of the line. The ball was spread right on the next play for Rudolph to find a hole to score. He converted his own try to give Wests Tigers a 16-10 lead after 36 minutes.
Full-back Kurtis Rowe then showed his class when he stepped inside and sliced through a few defenders to score out wide in the 39th minute. Rudolph converted the try to give Wests Tigers a 22-10 lead at half-time.
2nd Half
Wests Tigers started the second half in fine style when second-rower Andrew Vela and centre Matt Evans scored near the posts within the first five minutes. Rudolph converted both tries to give Wests Tigers a 34-10 lead after 47 minutes.
Rudolph grabbed his second try in the 50th minute when he swooped on a spilt bomb to score behind the posts. He converted his own try for a 40-10 lead.
Manly got back to 40-14 when Kayse Greer beat the tackle of second-rower
Joel Luani to score near the posts. Kelly converted the try to leave the Sea Eagles trailing 40-16 after 55 minutes.
A crossfield kick by Miller saw the ball knocked back infield by Evans for forward Brodie Monroe to dive over for the easiest try of his career. Rudolph failed to convert the try for a 44-16 scoreline after 60 minutes.
It became 48-10 when lock Brendan Santi finished off a break down the right flank to score next to the posts. Rudolph converted the try for a 50-16 lead to Wests Tigers after 64 minutes.
Manly scored a late try to winger Matt Ikuvalu. Kelly converted for the 50-22 scoreline.
Wests Tigers team
1 Kurtis Rowe
2 Marika Koroibete
3 Matt Evans
4 Micheal Kai
5 David Nofoaluma
6 Manaia Rudolph
7 Jacob Miller ©
8 Nathan Brown
9 Ben Saunders
10 Mosese Fotuaika
11 Joel Luani
12 Andrew Vela
13 Inno Inosesio
Interchange
15 Brodie Monroe
16 Brendan Santi
17 Kyle Lovett
18 Sita Akaoula