ROUND-UP
WESTS TIGERS fans have truly been through the ringer in 2023.
Locked to the foot of the NRL ladder, their season has ended in whimpering fashion in what can only be described as a microcosm of their entire year.
MANLY SEA EAGLES, meanwhile, have surprisingly missed out on the finals but rounded off their season in emphatic fashion.
Tolutau Koula set the ball rolling in the first minute with a superb breakaway try before Apisai Koroisau levelled proceedings with a neat solo score.
However, that’s as good as it got for the Tigers in the first half, with Koula grabbing his second as Jason Saab also notched a double either side of the half-hour.
The Sea Eagles wrapped up the game just before half-time when Ethan Bullemor strode under the posts off a suspiciouslooking pass from Haumole Olakau’atu.
From 26-6 down, things got worse for Wests following the resumption as Olakau’atu crashed over with ease before Jake Trbojevic capped off 200 games with his own effort after Daly Cherry-Evans passed the loose-forward the ball in the in-goal area.
Further tries from Raymond Vaega, Gordon Chan Kum Tong and Cherry-Evans himself established a 54-6 lead before Asu Kepaoa grabbed a consolation Wests score.
IN recent years, we have become accustomed to seeing SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS and SYDNEY ROOSTERS battling for the Premiership.