NRL 2020: Adam Doueihi’s emotional reaction after Wests Tigers big loss to Newcastle Knights

Adam Doueihi’s emotional reaction after the West Tigers’ loss to the Knights has offered a reminder sport is more than just what happens on the field.

The emotions got the better of Adam Doueihi at fulltime.

Wests Tigers fullback Adam Doueihi has been left in tears after his Wests Tigers were thrashed 44-4 by the Newcastle Knights.

The Knights were on top from the opening kick off, running in four first half tries to one with a controversial strike just on the halftime siren.

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The second half was all Knights as the side ran away with the huge win in the battle for the top eight.

While it was a big blow for the Tigers on the cusp of the eight, the result appeared to hit 22-year-old Tigers fullback Adam Doueihi hard with the youngster struggling to hold in his emotions post match.

“Adam Doueihi is absolutely distraught,” Michael Ennis said on Fox League.

“He’s really emotional. They are concerning scenes for the Wests Tigers fullback. At halftime we got some shots where we couldn’t see his face but he was in deep discussions with Michael Maguire. We know he’s of Lebanese heritage and it’s been a really tough week with what’s happened gone on in Lebanon, so it could possibly be that.”

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The Tigers players look on as the Knights celebrate a try.

Yvonne Sampson also pointed out he had Lebanon written on his wrist tape.

She added that “you realise these players carry a lot with them on game day”.

“We judge these guys through the 80 minutes of football but we have no insight as to what they go through from Monday to Friday or their family situation,” Cooper Cronk added. “Looking at these scenes, it‘s really hard to handle because you don’t know what connection Doueihi has back in Beirut or what his friends here in Australia have suffered or gone through.”

Mal Meninga also added that the club was also back in the bubble and may have limited connection to family.

Flicked the channel to catch the poor Lebanese Tigers player holding back the tears. 🥺 Heartbreaking. What a horrible week. But where’s his team mates? Get around him! He needs you! Where are you? #NRLKnightsTigers

— Phil Staley (@Phil_Staley) August 8, 2020

The NRL has paused before games with a moment of silence in memory of those who died in the blast in Beirut earlier in the week.

An fire ignited 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser left unsecured in a warehouse of Beirut port, leaving widespread damage across the city and more than 150 dead.

At halftime, footage of Maguire talking with Doueihi surfaced with the Tigers fullback wiping his eye during the discussion.

Adam Doueihi consoled at halftime.

The 22-year-old Doueihi represented Lebanon at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and is of Lebanese decent through his grandparents.

The night was poor for the Tigers, who were also celebrating the 250th games of Benji Marshall and Chris Lawrence, but a ruthless Knights demolished Wests 44-4.

Tigers legend Steve Roach didn‘t like what he saw from his former club, calling it “a carve up” late in the game.

Tigers coach Michael Maguire said, “It was not a good night for us”.

Asked about Doueihi, the Tigers coach said it was a mix of things.

“Those sorts of things definitely play a part, but he‘s pretty passionate Adam,” Maguire said.

“He’s a Wests Tigers junior and he wants the club up where we all want it. When you’re going through these periods, he showed a bit of passion about what this means to him. And I can assure you that every single person in those change rooms feels exactly the same way.”