Match Report: NRL Round 16 vs Raiders
Wests Tigers have secured their second victory in as many weeks, coming away with a 48-24 win in Round 16 at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
A fast start from the home team was too much to overcome for the traveling Raiders, with Wests Tigers’ fourth win of the season coming in enterprising fashion.
A Brent Naden intercept led to a slick Lachlan Galvin try on the ensuing play; the four-pointer being the 18-year-old’s first at NRL level.
NRL debutant Luke Laulilii then burrowed over from dummy half to score on debut, with Api Koroisau’s conversion putting the home side ahead by 12 after as many minutes.
Api Koroisau looked to have furthered the Wests Tigers lead shortly after, however the Bunker spotted a knock-on from Aidan Sezer in the lead-up to the play.
Adam Doueihi and Sione Fainu were then both held up over the line, but Fainu’s strong efforts off the bench were rewarded in the 34th minute when he brushed through the Canberra defence to grab the first try of his NRL career.
Leading 18-2 at the break, Wests Tigers went coast-to-coast from the kick-off, with an attacking raid down the left touchline leading to Galvin crossing for his second.
Danny Levi collected the Raiders’ first of the evening, but Stefano Utoikamanu kept the Wests Tigers points tally ticking over when he barged over for his third try of the season.
A delicate grubber kick from Galvin sent skipper Api Koroisau across, however Alex Seyfarth was binned for repeated infringements to temporarily halt the Wests Tigers scoring streak. Nick Cotric, Kaeo Weekes and Ethan Strange scored while Canberra had a one-man advantage, cutting the margin to 18 points. Arguably the highlight of the match though came in the 73rd minute when Adam Doueihi, returning to the NRL after over a year out with an ACL tear, raced 75m to score an intercept try. Koroisau’s conversion was the final score of the afternoon, with Wests Tigers emerging with a 48-24 victory in front of the Campbelltown faithful.
