NRL 2025 LIVE: Rabbitohs lead Dolphins after Knights beat Luai’s Tigers
A new error is beckoning the Wests Tigers, but it isn’t here yet.
With a 10-8 loss to Newcastle on Friday night, the Tigers haven’t won their opening match of a season since 2020, but signs of a revolution were there.
The three-time wooden spooners have changed, and new recruit and captain Jarome Luai was very much at the forefront of their courageous effort on Friday.
With a roar and jump as he entered the field, Luai signalled to his team the energy and effort he expected from them all.
Knights half Jarome Luai.Credit: Getty Images
At times, he skipped across the field like he was back in the grand final for Penrith, he threw himself into every tackle, and he barked orders to Benji Marshall’s new-look team.
But the Tigers missed the experience of hooker Api Koroisau, who was sidelined through suspension, and young fullback Jahream Bula who is recovering from shoulder surgery.
A silver lining for the club was former Rooster Terrell May, who played 66 minutes in the middle and proved the Tigers had been right to put their faith in him, along with winger Sunia Turuva who ran for 163 metres.
Tigers prop Terrell May.Credit: Getty Images
The 13,000-strong crowd at Campbelltown remained buoyant for most of the night, especially after Jeral Skelton soared over for the first try of the night, but the Knights were able to pull their game together when it mattered most.
It was an error-riddled game for Newcastle, with 16 mistakes by the time referee Liam Kennedy blew his whistle at full-time, but the Tigers’ defensive effort, which had been so impressive all night, fell away in the end.
The Tigers totalled 50 missed tackles for the match, including when Fletcher Sharpe and Greg Marzhew scored Newcastle’s only tries for the night, and it was enough to get the visitors over the line.
