Canterbury Bulldogs put a dent in Wests Tigers’ finals hopes with 18-16 win
It was a night on which pretty much everything went wrong for Wests Tigers but that finally gave Canterbury fans a reason to smile, as the Bulldogs held on for a 18-16 win.
It might end up being the mistake that ended the Tigers season.
Paul Momirovski was inconsolable on Saturday night after he shanked the kick that could cost the Tigers a place in the top eight.
In a heartbreaking moment for the double try-scoring winger, Momirovski hooked a conversion from about 10 metres left of the post to hand a boilover 18-16 win to the Bulldogs.
The Tigers’ season is on life support with the team hoping to break an eight-year finals drought slipping to 10th place following a second half Bulldogs blitz.
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On a horror night for Wests, Robbie Farah and Moses Mbye were both injured as the Bulldogs scored 18 points in 15 minutes to set-up the ANZ Stadium shock.
Momorovski failed to send the match to golden point after Benji Marshall sent Luke Garner over in a thrilling finish to give the Tigers a chance.
“We probably got a bit lucky with that (missed goal) at the end,’’ said Bulldogs half Jack Cogger.
“I thought we were going to golden point to be honest. But we will take the two points because I think we were the better team in the second half.’’
“But we came out at half time and had a good run and then our defence held up.’’
WARM-UP WOES
Out to take another step to securing a long-awaited finals berth, the Tigers plan to beat the Bulldogs was delivered a pre-kick off blow when Moses Mbye went down during warm-up.
Sending a shock through the camp, Mbye was rushed back into the dressing room for treatment and took to the field after being cleared to play. But Mbye was forced from the field just eight minutes into the match after sending Paul Momorovski over for the first try of the night. More pain was to come.
Leading 6-0 and holding the lacklustre Bulldogs at bay, the Tigers were slapped down by injury again in the 23rd minute when Robbie Farah was forced from the field with a knee injury.
Left clutching at his right leg after Lachlan Lewis wrestled the veteran to the ground ten minutes earlier, Farah soldiered on in pain until a fresh knock reduced the Tigers to just 15 men.
DOG SHOT
The Tigers faced more adversity shortly after Farah was forced from the field with a sin-binning adding to their injury woe. Missing both Mbye and Farah, another Tiger was forced from the field when Luke Garner was given a ten-minute spell for a late-shot on Lewis.
It was a concern for the Tigers with the backrower placed on report, Garner made heavy contact on a blindsided Lewis after the Bulldogs half had passed the ball.
MARSHALL MAGIC
Coming up against his famous brother Benji, Jeremy Marshall King delved into his own trick-bag to put the Bulldogs in front after a storming second half start.
After Josh Jackson scored in the 42nd minute to stun the Tigers, Marshall-King off-loaded for a near miss before diving over from dummy half to score the try that set-up the upset.
Meaney raced the length of the field to make it 18 points in 15 minutes with an intercept try.
Momirovski scored his second try in the 72nd minute to give the Tigers hope before missing the last-ditch conversion after Garner crashed over to give him the match levelling chance.
“It was an outstanding effort,’’ said Bulldogs captain Josh Jackson. “We just kept on turning up. It wasn’t pretty but I couldn’t be prouder of the boys.’’
Full-time CANTERBURY 18 (J Jackson J Marshall-King N Meaney tries N Meaney 3 goals) bt WESTS TIGERS 16 (P Momirovski 2 L Garner tries P Momirovski 2 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Chris Butler, Peter Gough.
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