A fired-up Wests Tigers outfit roughed up Lachie Galvin in his first game against them and stuffed up Canterbury’s chance to jump into top spot on the NRL ladder.
The Tigers produced their best performance for the season in mudbath conditions at CommBank Stadium to upset the Bulldogs 28-14.
All the talk in the lead-up to the match was about Galvin locking horns with his old teammates after leaving the Tigers in an acrimonious mid-season split.
Benji Marshall said during the week that Wests Tigers fans were entitled to boo Galvin and they did so whenever he touched the ball.
When he conceded an early penalty after a tackle on Jarome Luai, his former halves partner gave him a gobful.
Unlike his social media post when Galvin said he was leaving the club, there was no doubt Luai was venting great vengeance and furious anger.
Galvin looked rattled throughout the contest as Canterbury were bustled off their game by the lowly Tigers.
Wests drew first blood after absorbing plenty of Bulldogs attacking forays when Jeral Skelton touched down in the corner after offloads from Doueihi and Jahream Bula.
Doueihi, switched to half from lock by Marshall to get their attack firing, continued to do just that when he scooted clear for a long-range break so Bula could sprint away for a 10-0 lead by the midpoint of the first half.
Bula’s six-week absence with a hamstring tear has contributed to them sliding back into the wooden spoon equation.
After losing Galvin and Tallyn Da Silva to rival clubs, the Tigers need to lock Bula down for the longest contract they can offer because he is the brightest hope they have for a better future.
With the Dogs continually coughing up the pill like it was all-wormer medication, the Tigers capitalised on their territorial advantage when Skelton pounced on an Api Koroisau grubber for a 14-point buffer.
Doueihi collected a Matt Burton fumble and outran the cover defence on an 85-metre surge to go 20-0 up over a team 11 rungs higher than them on the ladder.
The Tigers opened the Doggy door with a careless fumble which led to Jacob Preston narrowing the gap to 16 just before half-time.
Jacob Kiraz slid over to make the Tigers nervous at 20-8 and a couple of Alex Seyfarth brain farths gave the Bulldogs possession via a dopey penalty and a one-man advantage when he was sin-binned for a high shot on Harry Hayes.
Impromptu Panthers reunion when Stephen Crichton clocked Taylan May as he stumbled into contact with Koroisau barking at his old teammate as Jarome Luai, Matt Burton, Brent Naden and Viliame Kikau rushed in with Cameron Ciraldo watching on from the coach’s box.
Doueihi’s ensuing penalty goal put Wests out by more than two converted tries but May was ruled out with category-one as Crichton was spared the bin by referee Wyatt Raymond due to the “mitigating circumstances” of his opponent dropping dramatically as he slipped over.
Lachlan Galvin. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
“The game needs to sort that out. Taylan May gone from the field but Stephen Crichton stays on,” said Cooper Cronk on Fox League.
Karma ran over the Dogs a short time later when Crichton broke free but his pass to Galvin dribbled over the sideline to the delight of Tigers fans.
Samuela Fainu barged through off a questionable Luai pass to seal the boilover result which keeps the Tigers’ minute finals hopes still alive, sitting six points off eighth spot with five rounds remaining.
Josh Curran got a consolation try in his 100th NRL game with the Dogs dropping to third behind Melbourne on a day when they could have leapfrogged Canberra into first.
