Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks have given West Tigers fans a look at the future without Robbie Farah in the NRL joint venture’s win over St George Illawarra.
» Re-live the match with our live blog
Moses led the way for the Tigers in attack and defence in the 25-12 win at ANZ Stadium on Sunday, setting up a crucial second-half try and calmly slotting the match-sealing field goal.
Brooks wasn’t far behind. His kicking game kept the Tigers on the front foot and he scythed through the Dragons’ goal-line defence in the 26th minute to put the Tigers ahead for the first time – a lead they never relinquished.
The win will in part justify the decision by Tigers coach Jason Taylor to dump Farah to reserve grade.
“It was gutsy and it was gritty and with that I am really happy,” Taylor said.
“The Wests Tigers are not known for that sort of performance. We kept turning the Dragons away and that is really exciting we were able to win a game like that.”
However, Taylor wasn’t gloating that his decision to dump Farah had perhaps proven to be the right one.
“It isn’t about vindication, it is about a direction we want the team to keep moving toward and it impacts upon both our attack and our defence,” he said.
“It is part of what I want to continue, these guys (Moses and Brooks) taking ownership.”
The win keeps the Tigers faint finals hopes alive.
“Will we make the finals? I don’t know. But we are giving it a crack,” Taylor said.
In playmaker Benji Marshall’s 250th game, against the club he won the 2005 premiership with, the Dragons were good in patches but again their attack lacked thrust.
Coach Paul McGregor admitted calls for him and Dragons boss Peter Doust to step down were affecting his team.
“Emotion is a lot in sport and they have a lot on their shoulders at the moment,” he said.
“A few clubs go through it at different stages of the year and at the moment we are going through it.”
The Dragons opened the scoring through Kurt Mann in the fifth minute. That was matched by first-half Tigers tries to David Nofoaluma, Brooks and James Tedesco for them to lead 18-8 at halftime.
The Tigers stretched that lead when Moses put Josh Aloiai over in the 58th minute.
Adam Quinlan gave the Dragons some hope when he brought the Dragons within 12 points in the 68th minute.
The home side had the chance to further close that gap before 15,087 fans but couldn’t crack the Tigers’ line despite a generous amount of possession.
Moses’ one-pointer sealing with a one-pointer three minutes from time.
Dragons forward Leeson Ah Mau was put on report for a first-half high tackle on Tim Grant, who was taken off on a medicab and didn’t return.
Tigers forward Chris Lawrence left the field early in the second half with a leg injury.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Here here !
The Barry
Roar Guru
Wow...I'm stunned. I agree.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Taylor at this point has been vindicated. The Dragons may be a bit soft but you can only beat who's in front of you at the time . I'd like to see the Tiges settle down now without Farah and see what these young fellas can come up with for the rest of the year .
steveng
Roar Rookie
All is fair in love and war with the Tigers, but the Dragons were pretty hopeless and their defence was none existent in most of the stages of that game when the Tigers got on top. Moses and Brooks were good but I wouldn't get too excited with their form and in beating the depleted Dragons that never looked like winning this game.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Moses looking more and more comfortable at this level. Some of his passes and options were sublime. His defence is still an issue but he gets his body in the way and tries. Hopefully it will improve as he gets bigger. Say what you will about Taylor and Farah but Moses and Brooks look much better taking the ball to the line than getting it at the line.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I call them the Ragons - they've got no D...