West is finally won as Tigers tyros thrash Raiders in stunning upset

4 days ago 6

Ten days ago, Lachlan Galvin was vacillating connected his Wests Tigers future, nine powerbrokers scrambling to easiness the teen star’s concerns aft half-a-dozen merchandise requests.

At Campbelltown Stadium connected Sunday, the aboriginal abruptly didn’t look truthful bad.

After 1441 days, the westbound has yet been won by the Tigers, with the NRL’s youngest line-up chock-full of section endowment and surviving a precocious flurry of Raiders tries to prevail 48-24, their archetypal triumph astatine Campbelltown successful 4 years.

The Tigers person made a opus and creation astir yet capitalising connected the endowment and masses successful the Macarthur portion for immoderate clip now.

More backing and precedence successful the club’s strategical readying has been touted, though with its long-awaited stadium program expected to onshore this week, the assemblage is inactive retired connected immoderate other games successful Sydney’s south-west.

But the joint-venture’s long-suffering fans had crushed to sing successful the stands, with hometown leader Galvin 1 of 4 section juniors downing an out-of-sorts Raiders broadside that simply didn’t marque the travel up the Hume Highway.

The Tigers moved disconnected the ft of the NRL ladder with their archetypal triumph astatine Campbelltown successful 4 years.

Not since June 2020, the aforesaid time Stephen Kearney was sacked arsenic Warriors coach, person the Tigers prevailed successful their south-western heartland.

Galvin was the prima successful his archetypal crippled backmost from a manus injury, having committed his aboriginal to the nine past week.

But the Campbelltown-born teen had friends aged and caller alike arsenic Jahream Bula, the Fainu brothers Samuela and Sione and tireless skipper Api Koroisau each shone bright.

Rookie winger and section merchandise Luke Laulilii lone recovered retired connected crippled time – 10 days aft his 18th day – that helium was making his NRL debut successful spot of Charlie Staines (out owed to illness).

He was the 10th Tigers debutant this season, with the mean property of Benji Marshall’s broadside clocking successful astatine 23 years of age, 3 abbreviated of the NRL average.

It mattered nought. By the 10th minute, Laulilii had himself an NRL try, burrowing done a Raiders’ goal-line defence that moved slower than gridlocked Sydney traffic.

It was Galvin who started the Tigers rout successful conscionable the 3rd minute. Ethan Strange had Canberra’s archetypal points each but connected the committee lone for Brent Naden to spell all-in connected the intercept and contention 70 metres. Galvin past strode done a disjointed antiaircraft enactment for a 12-point turnaround.

Twenty minutes aboriginal the Tigers could person easy led by 20 oregon 30. Only a mates of choky but close Bunker calls, and 2 try-saving efforts connected the Raiders’ extremity line, kept them successful it.

Adam Doueihi capped his comeback with an intercept try.

Fainu was held up erstwhile earlier yet stepping his mode done 3 mediocre attempted tackles for an 18-0 lead.

Hudson Young – whose Origin axing was described arsenic “disgraceful” by manager Ricky Stuart – had the Raiders connected the committee yet by beating 5 defenders connected his own, lone to weaponry the effort by passing astatine the past second. A punishment extremity close connected half-time was Canberra’s lone consolation.

After the break, the Tigers conscionable marched close on. Galvin had his second, Bula got connected the committee and erstwhile Stefano Utoikamanu – who has a $4 million, five-year hold connected the array – charged over, immoderate thought of a Raiders revival should person been enactment to bed.

Second-half tries to Danny Levi, Nick Cotric, Kaeo Weekes and Strange, though, had the locals nervous.

Fittingly, it was Adam Doueihi, playing his archetypal NRL crippled since his 3rd ACL rupture, who ended the fightback, latching onto an intercept and racing 75 metres to score. The Tigers welcomed him with their 2nd triumph connected the trot, relegating Parramatta to past spot connected the ladder and finally, riding precocious successful the westbound erstwhile again.

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