Wayne Bennett curse haunts Dolphins as Tigers complete comeback

The Wests Tigers have completed a sensational fightback, with Api Koroisau securing the matchwinner to hand the Dolphins a third-straight defeat.

Tigers duo Lachlan Galvin and Api Koroisau landed a stunning one-two punch as Benji Marshall’s bravehearts sounded alarm bells at Redcliffe with a gutsy 30-18 triumph at Kayo Stadium on Saturday night.

The Wayne Bennett curse is haunting the Dolphins, with his successor Kristian Woolf yet to taste victory after watching his Redcliffe side blow a handy 18-6 lead to crash to a third consecutive defeat.

But the Dolphins’ pain was the Tigers’ gain, with the three-time wooden spooners showing they can be finals contenders this season with a stirring come-from-behind victory.

Trailing 18-12 at half-time, the maligned Tigers produced an epic second-half shutout as the old and the new - veteran Koroisau and phenom Galvin - shocked the Dolphins.

Galvin threw a superb cut-out pass for Sunia Turuva’s second try to level scores at 18-all after 64 minutes and when Koroisau crashed over four minutes from time, it was ‘Api’ days for the Tigers.

“I love the team we have with the people here,” Tigers coach Marshall said. “That’s all you want as a coach ... to fight to the death.”

Tigers hooker Api Koroisau stole the show, sealing the match with a late try. Picture: NRL Imagery

MARSHALL’S MISSION

Marshall copped brickbats last season but the NRL legend is constructing a Concord revolution.

Even with star recruit Jarome Luai well contained by the Dolphins, the Tigers are playing with more cohesion and steel. In previous years, they would have lost this game by 20 points, but Marshall’s troops showed great heart to overturn a 12-point deficit and claim a second straight win.

Up front, Tigers props Terrell May (147m) and Fonua Pole (166m) monstered the Dolphins. On this evidence, the Tigers have every reason to believe they can make the playoffs this season.

“That was stressful,” Marshall quipped. “There were some big efforts to get us home.

“They came out firing and ready to play. We held the Dolphins to zero in the second half which was pleasing.”

SUPER SIX SHOOTOUT

Tigers young gun Galvin and Dolphins opposite Kodi Nikorima waged a brilliant five-eighth battle.

Nikorima was the Dolphins’ best player, setting up Herbie Farnworth (18th), before scoring himself five minutes later with a sublime show-and-go for a handy 16-6 lead.

But Galvin was up for the fight. The 19-year-old overshadowed his more illustrious scumbase partner Luai. He constantly probed and showed great vision to throw the cut-out ball for Turuva’s second try which ignited the Tigers’ fightback at 18-all.

“Lachy was outstanding again,” Marshall said. “We encourage him to play footy and play the way he plays. We like what he’s doing.”

REDCLIFFE RUMBLINGS

The post-Bennett epoch has started disastrously for the Dolphins, who will finish the weekend in the bottom four with a dismal 0-3 record and they now face the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium next Friday night.

The Dolphins should have put the Tigers away at 18-6 but the second-half capitulation was a poor sign of their defensive intent, with Wests playing with greater desperation and intensity.

“We beat ourselves in that second half,” Woolf lamented. “We were on the back foot for a lot of that second half and didn’t quite know how to fight our way out of it.

“It is something we need to learn from.”

The Dolphins have been handed a third straight defeat to start the season. Picture: NRL Imagery

API DAYS

Koroisau’s hooking deputy Tallyn Da Silva also looks the goods.

With the Tigers trailing 18-6, the promising 19-year-old from Campbelltown ignited the visitors off the bench, with his dummy-half snipe whittling the half-time deficit to 18-12.

Koroisau shared the role superbly with Da Silva, the veteran rake putting Alex Seyfarth (70th) over for a late try before scoring himself to nail the Dolphins coffin shut.