These were the kind of scenes you would routinely see at Leichhardt Oval when Benji Marshall was here in his prime. The Tigers have a long way to go to re-establish themselves as a premiership force but it is for evenings like this that the veteran premiership winner of more than a decade ago is returning to the club.
A dramatic come-from-behind victory against September-bound Manly had the iconic inner-west venue jumping, Tigers supporters who have done it tough during a challenging season retreating to the waterholes of Balmain Road with smiles from ear to ear.
More Rugby League Videos
- Video duration
- 01:28
Tigers storm home in thrilling comeback
Tigers storm home in thrilling comeback
Wests Tigers have staged a second-half comeback to upset the Sea Eagles 30-26 at Leichhardt Oval.
Up Next
Fastest try in NRL history
- Video duration
- 00:32
- Video duration
- 00:32
Fastest try in NRL history
Fastest try in NRL history
In just 11 seconds, Parramatta's Kirisome Auva'a has put himself into the record books by scoring the fastest try in NRL history.
Up Next
Hayne: article soured relationship with Henry
- Video duration
- 01:41
- Video duration
- 01:41
Hayne: article soured relationship with ...
Hayne: article soured relationship with Henry
Gold Coast Titans marquee player Jarryd Hayne named an article in the media as the tipping point for his relationship with sacked coach Neil Henry.
Up Next
Annesley dances around why Henry sacked
- Video duration
- 01:05
- Video duration
- 01:05
Annesley dances around why Henry sacked
Annesley dances around why Henry sacked
The Gold Coast boss says there was a number of reasons why Neil Henry has been told to pack his bags, though he refused to divulge just what happened in the board meeting.
Up Next
Eels inflict more pain on struggling Titans
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Eels inflict more pain on struggling ...
Eels inflict more pain on struggling Titans
The Parramatta Eels have thumped an injury-wrecked Gold Coast Titans 30-8 at ANZ Stadium.
Up Next
Is Jarryd Hayne a team player?
- Video duration
- 00:24
- Video duration
- 00:24
Is Jarryd Hayne a team player?
Is Jarryd Hayne a team player?
Gold Coast Titans coach Neil Henry responds to questions from media about the attributes of marquee player Jarryd Hayne.
Up Next
Sacking Hayne, Henry an option
- Video duration
- 00:28
- Video duration
- 00:28
Sacking Hayne, Henry an option
Sacking Hayne, Henry an option
The Gold Coast won't be rushed into what will be a big call about the future of two key figures at their club.
Up Next
Penrith triumphs over injury-depleted Cowboys
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Penrith triumphs over injury-depleted ...
Penrith triumphs over injury-depleted Cowboys
The win sees the Panthers retain their place in the top eight.
Tigers storm home in thrilling comeback
Wests Tigers have staged a second-half comeback to upset the Sea Eagles 30-26 at Leichhardt Oval.
The Sea Eagles had a chance to re-enter the NRL top four with victory on Sunday but the Ivan Cleary's men had their own ambitions in mind. In a battle with Newcastle to avoid the wooden spoon after the Knights' victory over Parramatta on Friday night, and down 20-6 at half-time, they stormed home as if it was them headed for the semi-finals.
When winger Malakai Watene-Zelezniak crossed and ran around to plant the match winner with only 80 seconds left on the clock it triggered party time in Tiger Town.
"It's been ages since we've actually had a game where the crowd has been behind us. It probably spurred the boys on a bit," coach Ivan Cleary said.
Things were somewhat more muted as the Tigers seemed headed towards the wrong end of a thrashing at half-time. However, a pair of intercept passes thrown by Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic and taken by Tigers winger David Nofoaluma soon after the break swung the game away from that course.Â
The hosts had been erratic in the first half, Cleary said, but halves Luke Brooks and Tuimoala Lolohea grabbed the controls as they surged back, lifted by the atmosphere. Crowds don't win games but on Sunday it almost felt like this one had.
"The boys just get goosebumps," Tigers captain Aaron Woods said. "They start getting a lot more energy, they start running a lot harder and tackling a lot harder. They were enormous for us today, especially that last 15 minutes. It feels like people are right on top of you."
With Josh Reynolds arriving at the club as well next year Marshall will be a back-up to other playmakers but the symbolism of his return is not lost on Cleary.
"It's a good story," Cleary said. "I've mentioned a lot of times that there is a real change taking place but it's nice to have a link to the past. Benji has probably contributed to the club on the field as much as anyone and the thing is he wants to contribute in the future."
There were 12,208 at Leichhardt and the old girl was rocking early as the hosts, entering the match equal last on points differential with Newcastle, took a lead and set up camp at the northern end.
All they would come away with, however, was a rare try for back-rower Elijah Taylor, who pounced on a Brooks grubber in the eighth minute. Manly, meanwhile, were nothing if not opportunistic. Â
Five minutes later Api Koroisau ducked and weaved out of dummy half and sprinted away and Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic appeared on either side of him as he confronted fullback James Tedesco.
He went with the captain, who strolled over to score. The rest of the first half had the makings of a thrashing as Cherry-Evans and a powerful Akuila Uate started and completed doubles.
The pair of Nofoaluma intercepts then turned the game, however, as Cleary acknowledged. While he was successfully pursued the determined Tigers seized on their fortune. They narrowed the gap to two as centre Kevin Naiqama crossed moments after the second occasion Nofoaluma plucked a Trobjevic pass out of the air and then Lolohea showed his speed and strength to score soon after.
Tedesco's spill of a re-start gifted Manly a chance to hit back and they did just that when the smart Koroisau sent forward Lloyd Perrett in under the posts.
The Tigers, their spirit not dented, refused to give in, however, and a frenetic period featuring three tries in five minutes was capped by Sauaso Sue's jinking run to the line, beating Martin Taupau, Koroisau and Frank Winterstein on his merry way.
Then came the pulsating finale. Manly centre Brad Parker coughed up the ball in the visitors' own 10 metres with two minutes remaining and Brooks swung it wide to Tedesco and Naiqama and finally Watene-Zelezniak - and 12 years after Marshall and co's triumph, the Tigers celebrated like they had won the grand final.Â