St George Illawarra’s Jaydn Su’A produced the biggest howler at Magic Round – and possibly this year – when somehow spilling the ball over the tryline with nobody around him on Saturday night.
Su’A thought he was about to help himself to a simple four-pointer right on half-time against the Wests Tigers on Saturday night.
Jaydn Su’a bombs one of the easiest tries of the season.Credit: Fox Sports
The try would have got the Dragons back to 20-16. But the ball came free from his hands, Tigers fullback Jahream Bula picked up the loose ball and sprinted 100m to gift his side a big lead.
The Dragons did well to get back in the game in the second half, with former Tiger Jacob Liddle bagging a double within four minutes.
An Alex Seyfarth knock-on with 30 seconds remaining gifted the Dragons one last chance to try and force the game into golden point.
The Tigers’ 34-28 win was their second in a row, but the Dragons – and especially Su’A – will hate sitting through the review of a game they could have easily won.
Jahream Bula scores for Wests Tigers against the Dragons.Credit: Getty Images
Coach Benji Marshall would have been proud of the performance, and not exactly sure what to have expected from his side after the emotional golden-point thriller at Leichhardt Oval last weekend. The win gave the Tigers confidence, but who knew how much energy was left in the tank.
It has been seven years since they have won three in a row, and they will have their work cut out getting it done against the Storm in Melbourne.
But who really cares. The Tigers of old would have blown the lead against the Dragons. They were still guilty of trying to defend a lead. But they are heading in the right direction.
Dragons’ back-rower Dylan Egan opened the scoring on the night after some lovely lead-up work by Moses Suli.
Charlie Staines celebrates a try against the Dragons.Credit: Getty Images
Recalled winger Charlie Staines, playing his first NRl game for the year, hit back for the Tigers courtesy of a lovely tip-on from Lachie Galvin. If you get the chance of Sunday morning, make a point of trying to find YouTube footage of Galvin’s pass.
Val Holmes showed his class to put the Dragons back in front, stepping past Sunia Turuva, and shaking off Bula. But again, the Tigers were quick to respond through Turuva.
Bula hobbled for a few minutes when his ankle was trapped in a tackle, but the No.1 was able to keep moving and remain in the game.
Api Koroisau attempted a couple of 40/20 attempts, and thought he had one on the second occasion. Clint Gutherson was ruled to have put a foot into touch, but the Dragons successfully challenged the call after they were bizarrely given the luxury of watching replays of the passage of play on the big screen shown inside the ground.
Dragons forward Emre Guler failed to finish the game because of a dislocated shoulder, while Tigers’ centre Brent Naden was also given an early shower because of a knee complaint.
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