Dragons 10 Wests Tigers 18
THE Dragons' hopes of farewelling Nathan Brown, Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles in the finals crashed last night when they suffered their fourth loss in five weeks - and they may be joined on the sideline as spectators by Wests Tigers prop Todd Payten.
Payten was placed on report for a 48th-minute lifting tackle on St George Illawarra centre Matt Cooper that was strikingly similar to the one that recently cost Brisbane's Justin Hodges a six-match suspension.
Dragons players, aware of the comparison, questioned why referee Shayne Hayne didn't send Payten off, with one heard to say: "You give Justin Hodges six weeks and he stays on the field."
With Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne also receiving a three-match ban for a similar tackle, Payten can expect a lengthy suspension. Brisbane-bound St George Illawarra back-rower Lagi Setu was also lucky to stay on the field as tempers frayed in a fiery second half and he, too, can expect to spend time on the sideline after a 58th-minute high shot on Corey Payne.
The tackle prompted players from both sides to come racing in and Hayne cautioned rookie Tigers fullback Shannon Gallant for escalating the melee but took no further action other than to put Setu on report.
At the time the Dragons trailed 12-10 and for much of the second half appeared as if they were set to storm home to a much-needed victory but a late Benji Marshall try sealed their fate after former Illawarra junior Beau Ryan latched onto a Jamie Soward kick and ran 50 metres before sending the Tigers playmaker on a run for the corner.
Heading into the match, the sixth-placed Dragons needed to win to retain their place in the top eight after losing three of their previous four games. Sitting in ninth place on for-and-against, the Tigers also needed a win to stay in touch with the other teams vying for a place in the finals.
Given what was at stake, it was a little surprising that St George Illawarra five-eighth Soward opted to kick for goal when the home side was awarded a second-minute penalty near the posts.
It was the only time the Dragons led all match but the Tigers took 74 minutes to put the result beyond doubt in what was to prove a game of inches between two desperate teams. Despite Marshall bursting into the clear from a quick tap in the 15th minute and Robbie Farah catching the defence offside on the next tackle, the Tigers adopted the same tactics and settled for a penalty goal to level the scores.
The visitors almost scored again after Marshall toed through a loose ball 20 metres out from his own line, regathered and linked with Chris Heighington, who found Taniela Tuiaki in support. But after another penalty for a high tackle by Simon Woolford, Marshall again opted for an easy two points.
A 25th minute Ryan try, after the Wests Wollongong junior outleapt Soward to pull down a Farah cross-field kick, was the only scoring play of its type in the first half and when the Tigers received another penalty just before half-time Marshall again opted for goal.
Dragons winger Josh Morris kept his side in the match with a 46th minute try and a 51st minute Soward penalty goal narrowed the scoreline to 12-10 until Marshall crossed for the matchwinner six minutes from full-time.
WESTS TIGERS 18 (B Marshall, B Ryan tries; B Marshall 5 goals) bt ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 10 (J Morris try; J Soward 3 goals) at WIN Stadium. Referee: S Hayne. Crowd: 14,207.