Inexperienced Tigers show up disappointing Bulldogs

The Tigers never looked like giving up the lead in a 38-14 victory over the Bulldogs tonight at ANZ Stadium in front of 18,521 fans.

The away side got off to a great start with a James Tedesco try after Kevin Naiqama pulled off a freaky knock back to keep the ball in play.

Naiqama then got his name in the score book through a great try off a grubber kick, before Sam Perrett let the ball bounce off a Luke Brooks kick and Brooks regained possession and went on to score.

The Tigers would have preferred to go into the sheds at half time keeping the Bulldogs scoreless but couldn't hold them out and Frank Pritchard went over for the four points. The black and gold side then got a penalty with only seconds to go and they decided to take the two points 55m out. Pat Richards made the kick look easy and put the Tigers a further two points in front.

At half time, Des Hasler sent his team out early to undergo a quick warm up out on the field. The bold move from the Bulldogs coach didn't seem to have too much of an impact with Sam Kasiano dropping the ball in the first set.

The Tigers went on with the game in second half and never let the Bulldogs into it.

Overall, the Bulldogs were really disappointing and never really applied too much pressure. Whenever they had the ball in good field position they didn't do anything with the ball.

Both teams will now have a week off to recover with rep round being next weekend. In Round 9, the Tigers will face the Roosters in Friday night footy, while the Bulldogs will welcome back a host of stars for their showdown with the Cowboys the following day in Townsville.

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - Kevin Naiqama
2 points - James Tedesco
1 point - Curtis Rona

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (14)
Tries: Frank Pritchard (2), Curtis Rona
Conversions: Trent Hodkinson (1/3)

WESTS TIGERS (38)
Tries: James Tedesco (2), Pat Richards, Kevin Naiqama, Luke Brooks (2)
Conversions: Pat Richards (4/6), Mitchell Moses (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Pat Richards (2/2)

Welcome to the only Friday night game of this round. Tonight the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs host the Wests Tigers at ANZ Stadium. The Bulldogs have moved Moses Mbye to the centre position in place of Josh Morris. Tim Browne moves to the bench and Sam Kasiano will start. For the Tigers, Chris Lawrence moves to the bench to make way for Delouise Hoeter. Sauaso Sue starts in place of Keith Galloway and Ava Seumanufagai moves onto the bench.
Will the Bulldogs halves fire up after the comments made by Andrew Johns about their current form?

Players are doing a quick warm up on the field after the formalities. Kick off shortly

1: And we're off! Tigers taking the ball off the kick off

2: Good chase by the Tigers off their first kick. Putting pressure on Perrett as soon as he catches the ball

4: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Aiden Tolman makes an unforced error.
Tolman loses the ball in the tackle. Puts the Bulldogs under pressure early

5: Going to the video ref for a possible try to the Tigers. It will be remarkable if it is a try!

6: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by James Tedesco. Kick to come.
Naiqama with an excellent flick back and Tedesco scores.

7: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Of course he kicks it. Does Pat Richards ever miss them?!

8: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Kevin Naiqama makes an unforced error.
A dropped ball in the tackle gives Bulldogs their first chance

10: Penalty to the Tigers after Eastwood was offside

11: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Martin Taupau makes an unforced error.
Another lost ball in a tackle. Scrappy start from both teams

13: Penalty to Bulldogs late in the set. Woods offside

15: The ball looks to have bounced and the video ref sent it up with No Try so I think we'll see the red light here

15: No try!

15: Williams is now offside and it's a penalty to the Tigers

16: We're off to the video ref yet again. Possible try to the Tigers but the ref has sent it up as no try

17: No try, knock on. It's a scrum to the Bulldogs

19: Rabs is talking about pronunciations. That's how exciting this game is at the moment.

19: Oh look - another penalty. This time against the Tigers for working the player in the tackle

20: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Tim Browne makes an unforced error.
Browne tries to offload the ball and drops it

21: Now the Bulldogs compound the error with a penalty. Helping the Tigers out of their own half!

21: Tigers force a repeat set after Reynolds is caught in goal

22: Tigers get another repeat set after a Moses kick is knocked dead by the Bulldogs

24: Halatau held up over the line. Some desperate defence from the Bulldogs

24: ANOTHER possible try going to the video ref. Naiqama looks to have scored for the Tigers

24: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Kevin Naiqama. Kick to come.
Video ref only needed one look. It's a try!

25: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards unsuccessful.
Maybe I've jinxed Richards. He missed that one!

27: Richards with blood...a lot of blood. A head clash opens up his cheek

30: Penalty against the Tigers for a second effort in the tackle

31: Mybe goes close to scoring but drops the ball a couple of metres out. Bulldogs players are calling for a high tackle. The ref doesn't agree and it's a scrum with a Tigers feed

33: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Luke Brooks. Kick to come.
Perrett lets the ball bounce, it hits the upright an Brooks ends up with the ball

34: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Mitchell Moses successful.
Easy kick for Moses who is kicking for Richards while he gets his cheek attended to.

35: Tigers lost the ball and now the Bulldogs go on the attack

36: Tigers hold the Bulldogs out and it's a handover just metres out from their own try line

37: Browne is injured in back play. Seems to be an arm/shoulder injury

39: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Frank Pritchard. Kick to come.
Great offload from Rona sees Mybe sprint down the wing and passes to Pritchard who goes over to score

40: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Straight over the black dot. An easy conversion for Hodkinson

40: Penalty to the Tigers with 3 seconds to go. Richards has just come back onto the field and the Tigers elect to take the two 55m out

40: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL WESTS TIGERS
Penalty goal attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Just made the distance. Great kick from Richards!

40: Half time. The Tigers got out to a good start but let the Bulldogs in late in the second half. The loss last week against the Raiders will have the Tigers a little nervous about the Bulldogs coming from behind.

40: Bulldogs with the ball off the kick off

41: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Antonio Kaufusi makes an unforced error.
Trying to play the ball and loses it

43: Bulldogs knock the ball dead in desperation. Repeat set for the Tigers

43: Naiqama offloads before being taken in to touch and the Bulldogs end up with the ball

43: Penalty against Lawrence for being in the tackle too long

45: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by James Tedesco. Kick to come.
Naiqama makes a tackle break sprints down the side line and passes to Tedesco who goes over to score

45: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Richards with the conversion from in front. He doesn't miss those

47: Penalty against the Bulldogs for a strip in a two-man tackle. The Tigers opt to go the two. This will be another long-range attempt

49: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL WESTS TIGERS
Penalty goal attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Richards conversion successful. This one only 37m out

50: Penalty against the Bulldogs for working the player in the tackle. Bulldogs are not making it easy for themselves

50: Mybe grounds the ball in goal and it's another repeat set for the Tigers

52: Penalty against the Bulldogs for the markers not being square - I have to disagree there

53: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Luke Brooks. Kick to come.
Brooks shows and goes and gets over the line

54: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Another easy kick for Richards

58: Bulldogs forced their first line drop out

58: A Bulldogs quick tap off a penalty sees the Tigers under pressure

58: No we have back to back penalties for the Bulldogs

59: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Frank Pritchard. Kick to come.
Pritchard catches the ball in front of Moses and runs straight over the top of him. Just too hard to stop from that close to the line

60: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson unsuccessful.
Hodkinson kept it too straight and can't add the two points

63: Rona comes in off his sideline and Mbye decides to keep the ball and is taken in to touch. Missed opportunity for the Bulldogs

63: Tigers now lose the ball and give away a penalty to the Bulldogs. Another chance for them here

64: Richards now ends up with the ball. Another missed opportunity for the Bulldogs

66: Reynolds taken late and high after his kick and now there's a little scuffle on the field

66: Watching it live you would think it was a massive coat hanger tackle. Think Reynolds was being a bit dramatic there. Definitely should be a penalty though

66: After warning both teams the ref blows a penalty. Bulldogs on the attack

66: Another penalty against the Tigers for being too slow in the tackle

67: Bulldogs get another repeat set from a Reynolds kick

69: Tigers drop out as Naiqama grounds the ball when trying to drag it in

70: Bulldogs can't get the four points yet again and the Tigers go out to the 20m for a quick tap

71: Penalty to the Tigers for Moses being tackled off the ball

72: The Tigers elect to take the two

72: Taupau just doing some push ups while waiting for Richards to take the kick

72: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards unsuccessful.
Richards misses what seemed to be an easy kick for him

74: Stanley down with a knee injury. Hopefully he'll be ok - has not been lucky with knee injuries in his career

74: Stanley ok and has stayed on the field

75: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Kevin Naiqama makes an unforced error.
Naiqama drops the ball off a Bulldogs kick. Scrum to the Bulldogs 18m out

75: Penalty against the Tigers for a strip. Bulldogs have another opportunity here. Let's see if they can convert it to points

76: Rona looks to have scored. We're just checking with the video ref

76: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Curtis Rona. Kick to come.
Rona with a great put down close to the sideline

77: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson unsuccessful.
Difficult conversion from the sideline and Hodkinson was unable to curve it in

77: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Josh Reynolds makes an unforced error.
Bulldogs spread the ball off the kick off and it backfires with Reynolds knocking on

79: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Pat Richards. Kick to come.
Moses attracts two Bulldogs defenders and gives the ball to Richards who goes over and scores

80: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Richards makes the conversion from the sideline look easy

80: Bulldogs kick off with 15secs to go. Tigers will get a couple of tackles

80: And there we have it. That's full time!

80: It's full time at ANZ Stadium with the Tigers just too good for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs never really looked like being in the game with a very disappointing effort.
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