Wests Tigers defeat Newcastle Knights 33-12

WESTS Tigers took a step towards avoiding their first NRL wooden spoon on Sunday, with an impressive 33-12 win over a toothless Newcastle Knights.

Mitch Barnett looks dejected after another loss for Newcastle. (Tony Feder/Getty Images)

Wests Tigers have snapped a seven-match losing streak with an impressive 33-12 win over Newcastle.

In a match that was billed as the battle for the wooden spoon, the Knights luckless season continued as they went down five tries to two. It was the Tigers first win since round eight against the Bulldogs.

The scoreline probably should have been closer given Newcastle had two tries denied by contentious decisions.

The Knights had a deadset try pulled back for a forward pass late in the first half, while Danny Levi was desperately unlucky not to get another when he was ruled held up.

Mitch Barnett looks dejected after another loss for Newcastle. (Tony Feder/Getty Images)

But in the end the Tigers were deserving winners with Aaron Woods leading the way with a barnstorming performance heading into the State of Origin decider.

On the back of Woods’ go-forward. Luke Brooks and Tui Lolohea seized control of the game.

Brooks was super impressive, finishing off a terrific game with a late field goal and then the final try in the last minute that was laid on by a wonderful offload from Woods.

Newcastle were awful in the first half, with the Tigers racing to a 20-0 lead despite butchering two tries.

As bad as they were, the locals saved their biggest serve for the match officials who they booed from the field at the break after a terrible call went against the home team in the 38th minute.

David Nofoaluma of the Tigers scores a spectacular try. (Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

With Newcastle desperate to get on the board before halftime, Sione Mata’utia looked to have put his brother Peter over in the corner only for the flat pass to be called forward by the touch judge.

Prior to that it was all the Tigers with tries to Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, Jacob Liddle and Kevin Naiqama. Teenage centre Moses Suli was also causing all sorts of problems on the left edge as he continually exposed some ordinary defence.

Adding to Newcastle’s problems, Ken Sio was ruled out of the game at halftime with a shoulder injury.

To their credit the Knights defence improved significantly after the break but the tough calls continued to go against them.

Woods was in fine touch for the Tigers. (Tony Feder/Getty Images)

Levi looked to have scored in the 50th minute but the on field “no try” call could not be overturned with the ruling that he was held up by Brooks and Naiqama.

Brooks and Lolohea continued to cause problems and their combination with Naiqama put David Nofoalma over for a terrific try in the 55th minute to push the lead out to 24-0.

The Knights continued to fight back.

Joe Wardle finished off a super try that was laid on by Dane Gagai who busted through before delivering a clever chip kick for Wardle.

But in the end it wasn’t enough as Brooks landed a field goal in the 77th minute before

a penalty goal a minute later extended the margin to 15 points. Woods then capped off his great game with another special offload that ended in the final try to Brooks.

Originally published as Wests Tigers defeat Newcastle Knights 33-12