In a high scoring match at Toyota Park, the Tigers gave the opposition a real scare when trailing 34 - 14 with roughly 17 minutes on the clock, the Tigers piled on 3 tries to trail 34 - 30 with 4 mins of play remaining. However it was never to be, with a penalty against the Tigers in the final minute to make the scoreline read 36 - 30.

It was a courageous fightback by the Tigers who in recent years would of probably conceded 50 points or more in this type of match. Two concentration lapses in 20 minute periods of both halves saw the Tigers fall behind by a considerable margin on the scoreboard.

The Tigers lead early 2 - 0 via a penalty kick by Joel Caine, then the Sharks made a move. 3 Sharks tries in 5 minutes saw the Tigers down 16 - 2 after 15 minutes of play. To the Tigers credit, they came back through 2 tries by Troy Wozniak who had a very good game, which made the halftime score read 16 - 14 to the Sharks. The second half started as a tight tussle, until the Sharks unleashed another 3 tries in a 5 minute period to lead 34 - 14 with 20mins of play remaining. One try which was allowed to Sharks five-eighth Matthew Johns was very controversial as it appeared Johns lost it while grounding the ball.

With 17 mins left of play, halfback Ben Jeffries ran at the line at close range to score a 4 pointer, which then follow by another good try by Hassan Saleh to make the scoreline read a respectable 34 - 24 with 14mins left of play. Wozniak made it a hattrick with a try from a short pass from prop Corey Pearson to being the scoreline to 34 - 30.

Scoring Details

Cronulla Sharks 36 (Campbell 2, Kimmorley, Lovell, Johns, Bosnich tries; Kimmorley 6 goals)

def

Wests Tigers 30 (Wozniak 3, Jeffries, Saleh tries; Caine 5 goals) at Toyota Park

Crowd: 14,116

 

Match Report