Tigers fall at Campbelltown Stadium as injury toll mounts
Wests Tigers have been unable to make visiting teams feel more at home for most of their recent history at Campbelltown Stadium.
Their recent record of just one win from their last eight games at Leumeah shows that they don’t just roll out the welcome mat, they tuck their opponent into bed and leave a mint on the pillow.
On this occasion, with spiritual home Leichhardt Oval offline and the Dolphins in town for the first time, the Tigers were slightly less hospitable. They fought back early, but faded when it mattered and lost 36-22.
Unless the Tigers can take over south-west Sydney, the longest streak without a final in the NRL will continue.
Already missing Adam Doueihi, Alex Twal, Samuela Fainu, Royce Hunt and Kai Pearce-Paul, they were joined in the injury ward by halfback Jock Madden and center Patrick Herbert before half-time.
Madden was eliminated with a concussion following his collision with Morgan Knowles. The decision to allow Knowles to remain on the field when Madden was forced off the field was a sad point for the Tigers. So did Brad Schneider’s attempt to put Dolphins forward Connelly Lemuelu ahead, thanks to a questionably forward-looking pass.
The Dolphins were very lacking in firepower of their own. Maroons Max Plath, Thomas Flegler, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo were rested after their State of Origin heroics. Fringe Blue Isaiya Katoa also could not play due to a knee injury.
Tigers stars Jarome Luai and Apisai Koroisau did their best to stand out. Luai scored two tries with a stray headed towards goal twice. The score would have been even higher if someone else had not brushed the posts. Luai also provided a try assist with a wonderful spiral pass to Starford To’a, who got past six defenders to find the line.
Koroisau, fresh after warming up the Blues bench for 80 minutes, was also a handful. The Dolphins were a constant threat to their brand, showing the creativity that NSW lacked at open half.
But no one had as much impact on the competition as Kodi Nikorima. How is the guy still out of contract?
Nikorima scored a try with a short pass. Then with a long one. I saved someone else. And then he scored the result beyond any doubt.
This marks the sixth consecutive year the Dolphins have scored 30 or more points. This is now a club record seventh straight win. At least one finals drought is about to end.
