‘Can you believe what you’ve just seen’: Tigers save chaotic thriller over Dragons

The Wests Tigers have gone back-to-back in one of the wildest finishes of the season, denying a Dragons miracle in incredible scenes.

Insane finish for the Tigers' second win of the season. Photo: Fox Sports

The Wests Tigers have gone back-to-back for its first two wins of the season, downing the St George Illawarra Dragons in a heart-stopping 18-16 win at Magic Round.

It was a match of both the best and worst of both sides with the match coming down to a wild passage of play just two minutes from full-time.

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In the battle between the two teams anchoring the NRL ladder, the Tigers held their two point wins since the 64th minute try for Junior Tupou.

But with less than two minutes remaining, Ben Hunt almost made something out of nothing.

On the fifth tackle in the midfield, a terrible pass from dummy half went to the deck but Hunt kicked it forward off the ground.

After coming to the fullback with no one around, the cavalry arrived and shifted the ball wide.

But with a four-on-one overlap 10m out, fullback Tyrell Sloane passed wide to Moses Suli, who flicked back to the outside with Mikaele Ravalawa getting the ball and diving desperately for the corner for a much needed win.

The Tigers had recovered however, pushing the winger out a metre short of the line with rookie fullback Jahream Bula coming to the rescue.

With another player on the outside, how did the Dragons bottle this? Photo: Fox Sports

Insane finish for the Tigers' second win of the season. Photo: Fox Sports

“They’ve saved it, the Tigers have saved it,” Dan Ginnane yelled.

“In a game that has been at times brilliant and at times baffling, we’ve just seen it all.”

Greg Alexander interjected: “Can you believe what you’ve just seen.”

Ginnane replied: “We have just seen a near miracle snuffed out by millimetres.”

THIS WAS WILD. 😮

An incredible save from the Tigers!

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Alexander said it was an “Origin-type” play from Hunt, who famously won the 2022 Origin series with a long-range intercept.

“I thought they had to score,” Alexander said. “Suli back on the inside — how didn’t he get there? He flicks the ball — he might have got there if he kept running. And Ravalawa — my god.”

It was an incredible save for the Tigers and one that will move the side equal with the Dragons on points.

BULA BULA: Two weeks in a row @WestsTigers No. 1 Jahream Bula produces try-saver. Love this bloke🐅🐅

— christian nicolussi (@mrchrisnico) May 7, 2023

What a chaotic finish. I don’t think anybody in the stadium took a breath that final minute or two. Tigers did well to hang on there. #NRLTigersDragons#MagicRound

— Lachlan Jeffery (@LachlanJeffery) May 7, 2023

How did the Dragons bomb THAT???

— The Mole (@9_Moley) May 7, 2023

Bye bye Griffin. You will not be missed. At all. #NRLTigersDragons

— Scott Pryde (@sk_pryde) May 7, 2023

The Tigers are movin’ on up. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The Tigers could move off the bottom of the ladder if the Cowboys lose by two points or more against the Roosters.

For the dejected Dragons, it’s a fifth straight loss by less than 10 points.

In the stretch, the side have lost by a combined 13 points but after playing the Cowboys next week, the side has the Roosters, Dolphins, Panthers and Rabbitohs before a bye.

“It’s the story of the season honestly,” Ben Hunt said. “We were just dumb today. Some of the things we did were not NRL standard.”

Of the decisive play, Hunt said: “I thought we had it. Once we got it Moses Suli I thought he was going to finish it. Credit to the Tigers, they scrambled hard.”

Originally published as ‘Can you believe what you’ve just seen’: Tigers save chaotic thriller over Dragons