Doueihi denied heroic return as Tigers fall to Eels
George Clarke |
Adam Doueihi returned from his self-imposed NRL exile but was unable to resuscitate Wests Tigers’ anaemic attack as they slumped to a seventh straight defeat in a 16-13 loss to Parramatta.
Doueihi sparked one of the biggest news stories of the season when he sat out last week’s loss to Canberra in protest at club standards and coach Benji Marshall’s plans to deploy him at lock against the Raiders.
The playmaker and Marshall publicly buried the hatchet but Doueihi’s best efforts – he scored a try, kicked two goals and a 71st minute field goal – weren’t enough.
Doeuihi thought he had completed a zero to hero redemption story when he nudged over his one-pointer, but Eels fullback Isaiah Iongi dashed over with five minutes left to seal victory for Parramatta at CommBank Stadium on Sunday.
The Eels were abject in the second half – they made nine errors and completed at 63 per cent – but Tigers captain Api Koroisau gave away a penalty for a shoulder charge which handed Iongi the position to go over.
Even if the Tigers had held on to win it would have papered over another rudderless attacking performance from Marshall’s side, who have mustered just 45 points over their last six matches.
Fullback Jahream Bula hasn’t recorded a linebreak since May, while winger Sunia Turuva hasn’t crossed for a try since round six.
The tries Marshall’s men scored on Sunday were courtesy of one-man barge-over efforts from Fonua Pole and Doueihi rather than displays of cohesive attack.
The Tigers sit 16th following the loss to the Eels and are only being kept off bottom by St George Illawarra.
Parramatta led 12-0 at halftime after Jordan Samrani regathered a Mitchell Moses to score the opener.
Centre Samrani then made a break upfield which led to former Tigers hooker Tallyn Da Silva scoring against his former club.
Pole crashed over in the 47th minute as the Tigers finally got on the board, Doueihi following him over soon after and kicking both goals to tie the game up.
Doueihi booted a field goal with nine minutes left but after Koroisau’s needless penalty Moses spread the ball wide to Iongi to race over and wrap up victory for the Eels.
AAP