NRL.com Wrap: Huge comeback falls just short as Knights downed by Tigers

Late Mail

Bulldogs: A change on Friday with Monica Tagoai coming out of the side and Bridget Hoy moving into the centres in No.20. Ebony Prior has been added to the bench in No.21. Pani Hopoate will start at prop this week after sitting out with a knee injury. Pauline Suli-Ruka has been named to start in the second row in her return from a shoulder injury. Tamika Jones will miss the next two matches with suspension.

Raiders: The Raiders are 1-17 with no late changes as they roll with the same team that downed the Knights last week. Madyson Tooth is the 18th player.

Knights v Wests Tigers at McDonald Jones Stadium

Full time: The Knights can't get the ball back in the final minute and the Wests Tigers hold on to record a 27-26 victory to put them into third place on the live ladder.

Injury update: Hollie Wheeler receives treatment for a neck injury after a crusher tackle and leaves the field. Knights prop Tayla Predebon is placed on report.

69 min: Field goal! Raecene McGregor makes the most of the opportunity for Wests Tigers, recording her first NRLW one-pointer with a loopy drop-goal from 15m out. Tigers 27-26 

68 min: A chance goes begging for the Knights! Amelia Pasikala charges through the defence and breaks away, but her pass to Tenika Willison in support on half way goes down.

67 min: The Knights get a penalty right in front. Lucy Spain is in the thick of it and just a few minutes after receiving penalty being held out of the play as a support runner, she takes on the middle defenders and the ball comes loose. The referee says knock-on but the captain's challenge is called for and reveals a strip. Kirra Dibb steps up to level scores with a penalty goal. Scores level 26-26

63 min: The Tigers get some moments to catch their breath and get a penalty to get off their own line. Despite all the work they've done in defence, they look threatening, but Raecene McGregor's grubber kick goes dead. The Knights use the seven tackle set well to have a play-the-ball inside 10 to finish, but the last tackle run option results in a handover.

58 min: It's anyone's game here in Newcastle. Knights hooker Olivia Higgins was struggling with a nose injury just a few moments ago, but on last tackle she takes a few steps out of dummy half, drops it on the toe, the ball hits the post pad and bounce straight back to her and she dots it down under the sticks. Kirra Dibb converts from in front. Tigers lead 26-24

 

52 min: The Knights get another opportunity to attack on the back of a Caitlin Turnbull error. On third tackle, Kirra Dibb spot a huge amount of space in behind the defence and puts in a grubber kick, but it trickles dead.

Injury update: Portia Bourke is receiving treatment for a neck injury after being caught awkwardly in a tackle. She stays on the field and play continues.

49 min: Here come the Knights! Sidney Taylor celebrates her 24th birthday with a try after the Wests Tigers are stripped for numbers on their left edge defence. The Knights built pressure through repeat sets and the visitors defended stoutly but finally cracked under the pressure. Kirra Dibb nails another conversion and there's only eight points in it! Tigers lead 26-18

45 min: The Knights gets another chance on attack after the restart from the Tigers sails well out on the full. They look likely after earning a repeat set, but a Tayla Predebon offload is spilled and the play breaks down.

43 min: You score, we score! The Knights get back in it immediately with a shift from right extremity to left wing for Mercedez Taulelei-Siala to slip a desperate Tigers tackle and roll over to plant the ball. It came on the back of a run from fullback Lucy Spain, who put Sidney Taylor through for a long break. Kirra Dibb converts once again. Tigers lead 26-12

40 min: Two kicks, too good for Tigers. On last tackle, Tigers five-eighth Losana Lutu comes up with a cross-field kick, batted back by Caitlin Turnbull. The ball goes out to the right wing and then back inside to Raecene McGregor for the second kick, a grubber, and the low bounce evades all of the Knights defenders then bounces up perfectly for Lutu tracking inside. McGregor converts. Tigers 26-6

38 min: The Knights came out of the sheds with some powerful attack and defence but make the error on half way to put the Tigers in range. 

Half-time: The Wests Tigers have dominated the opening stages to take a commanding 20-6 lead over the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium. The Tigers almost kept time with the clock in the first 15 minutes, leading 14-0 early on with the help of some ill-discipline from the home side. While the Tigers added six more point later in the half, the Knights tightened things up in the next portion of the game and poked their heads through the line on a number of occasions to get one on the score sheet.

34 min: The Tigers survive a seriously threatening attacking raid from the Knights. Kirra Dibb put up a wobbly kick on last tackle, which is allowed to bounce by the Tigers defenders and Caitlin Turnbull retrieves it just inside the field of play.

32 min: Both sides are struggling to complete their sets in the past few minutes and will be looking for a bit more cohesion and discipline in the final moments of the first half.

27 min: The Knights are on the board! Centre Tenika Willison runs a great line for halfback Georgia Roche and slips through the defence for a four-pointer. The opportunity came off the back of a Wests Tigers error on the kick-off following the Shaniece Monschau try. Kirra Dibb makes the conversion from out wide. Tigers lead 20-6

23 min: Shaniece Monschau has her first NRLW try to extend the Wests Tigers lead. More ill-discipline from the Knights laid out the welcome mat for the visitors and dummy-half replacement took the opportunity to sell to the right and go back left to a charging Monschau with the crash play to score. Raecene McGregor nails the conversion. Wests Tigers 20-0

20 min: The Knights ride a couple of penalties to go deep on attack. Kirra Dibb goes close with a show-and-go, but when it comes to last tackle, her grubber kick is just too long and the Tigers get a seven tackle set.

18 min: After trading completed sets, the Tigers get in position to put in an attacking kick into the in-goal, giving Knights fullback Lily Spain plenty of work to do, but she does incredibly well to dive back into the field of play, ultimately earning her side a much needed penalty.

15 min: It's one-way traffic here at McDonald Jones Stadium. The Tigers get two piggy-back penalties to go on the attack once again. The Knights look like they had numbered up on their left edge defence, but when the balls gets into the hands of Tigers centre Harmony Crichton, it matters little as she slips a one-on-one tackle and slams the ball down. Raecene McGregor can't convert from out wide. Wests Tigers 14-0

10 min: The Tigers have another one and this time Caitlin Turnbull gets the chocolates. Losana Lutu decides to run the ball down the short side on the last, and she loops a pass over to winger Lily Rogan, who chips a kick over the top for Turnbull to turn on the afterburners to run past Knights lock Kayla Romaniuk and win the race to the ball. Raecene McGregor converts the try from just to the left of the posts. Wests Tigers 10-0

6 min: The Knights get their first look at the Tigers line on the back of a penalty, but the visitors are up to it defensively and force the handover.

2 min: What a start for the Wests Tigers! Caitlin Turnbull digs into the line and pops a pass to Shaylee Bent running an out line, putting her straight through the Knights defence and she runs 40 metres to score. Reacene McGregor hits the upright and the conversion attempt is waved away. Wests Tigers 4-0

Kickoff: Wests Tigers have first use of the ball under sunny skies in Newcastle.

Injury update: Wests Tigers centre Namoe Gesa has suffered a groin injury the warm-up, replaced by Kayla Henderson is jersey No.22.

Late Mail

Knights: Lilly-Ann White returns from an ankle injury in the No.1 but has moved to the interchange in the 90-minute squad update, with Lucy Spain getting the nod to start at fullback. "Credit to Lilly, she's back probably two weeks earlier than what we predicted. That's a testament to her and the staff. Her and Lucy will definitely play a part in this group this weekend," said coach Ben Jeffries. No other changes on game day to the 18 originally named on Tuesday, with prop Tayla Predebon back from suspension and Sienna Yeo to start in the second row. Charley Lahmert and Emily McArthur and both on the interchange for potential NRLW debuts. 

Wests Tigers: Craig Sandercock has made two late changes to the starting line-up, with Portia Bourke to start at centre and Christian Pio at prop. Shenai Lendill and Shaniece Monschau revert to the pine.  A number of big guns return, headlined by captain Kezie Apps in the second row. Salma Nour starts at hooker, with Harmony Crichton on the wing. Tara Reinke is the 18th player.

 

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