Leichhardt Oval under lights tonight as the Tigers and Eels battle indifferent early season form to get their season on track tonight. The Tigers are coming off a confidence-boosting win last Sunday at Campbelltown while the Eels weren't too bad against a defensively strong Canterbury last Thursday despite a four-point loss.
7.10pm: In TEAM NEWS - the Wests Tigers are 1-17 as named on Tuesday, while the Eels will leave out Ken Edwards in favour of co-captain Reni Maitua, who returns to the lineup in the second row. Kickoff just under an hour away.
8.05pm: The Eels roll out onto Leichhardt, they're in their new alternate strip, white with yellow and blue butcher stripes. They're closely followed by the home side - the Tigers - in their once-off 007 "Skyfall" jerseys, predominantly black strip. Kickoff imminent.
KICKOFF - Tigers with first possession.
2 min: The first big test of the night is a Ben Roberts bomb to Tigers fullback Tim Moltzen. A little bobble but Moltzen holds it.
3 min: Benji Marshall finds space up the middle, before a pass to Blake Ayshford sees the Tigers centre tackled. Two passes later Marshall loses it.
4 min: Three tackles into the Eels set and they've coughed it up. Tigers hot on the attack now.
5 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Chris Lawrence. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
The Tigers use the numbers to the left and Chris Lawrence claims a relatively simple try out wide. Benji's boot is on-radar tonight, he converts.
Wests Tigers 6-0
7 min: Eels error just in front of their own goal-line. Tigers scrum 10m out, danger signs for Parramatta.
9 min: Tigers winger Joel Reddy forced into touch, some good sliding defence from the Eels.
9 min: 40/20 PARRAMATTA EELS
Chris Sandow kicks a 40/20.
Superb. Effectively a 30-10, kicked on his own 30m line, lands 10m out. Eels suddenly with an attacking set.
11 min: Error from the Eels, ball lost over the goal-line. Tigers get a 20m restart out of it.
12 min: Tigers put the ball high into the far right corner on the last, but Reddy can't collect, spills it over the line. Eels handover.
14 min: Eels attempt a chargedown and it goes into touch near halfway. Tigers scrum.
16 min: Tigers force a line dropout.
17 min: Tigers penalty, Eels with an upending tackle by Maitua on Miller. Marshall to take a shot at two.
17 min: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL WESTS TIGERS
Penalty goal attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
Wests Tigers 8-0
19 min: Eels working it off their own line again after a deep Tigers kick. And...... Hayne loses it. Tigers all over the visitors at the moment.
21 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Chris Lawrence. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
Far too easy, Chris Lawrence just uses sheer strength to force the ball down through several defenders. Marshall's conversion puts the margin out to fourteen.
Wests Tigers 14-0
24 min: Sandow drives a kick through but it rolls dead. Tigers 20m restart.
27 min: A bungled chargedown from the Eels gives the Tigers a repeat set just 20m from the line.
29 min: Eels spill the fifth tackle kick, Tigers ball, set restarts again.
30 min: Ball going everywhere, Tigers surely score here - no, Eels get a foot to it, soccer ensues, but it's a penalty Tigers, Loko holding a chasing player by the shirt.
32 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Blake Ayshford. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall unsuccessful.
Tigers utilising both sides of the ruck now, Ayshford scores on the right side. Marshall just misses the conversion.
Wests Tigers 18-0
33 min: Benji Marshall with a rare poor kick - he's put the ball out on the full. Eels handover on the Tigers' 40m.
34 min: Roberts threads it behind the Tigers line looking to find Taulima Tautai in the corner, but the grubber rolls dead.
36 min: Koroibete returns with a bullocking run from a kick, he's tackled strongly by Chris Sandow and Matt Ryan. Marika gets up and lashes out at Ryan, who retaliates. Shayne Hayne penalises Ryan for the retaliation. Bizarre call there. Tigers penalty.
38 min: Tautai breaks down the left touchline, Tigers give chase, Eels support comes in the form of Jacob Loko, he has it... bound for the tryline... spills it. Tigers scrum on their own 10m.
HALFTIME at Leichhardt Oval. Tigers in a commanding position, but would probably have liked to be further in front. Eels, well, less said the better.
41 min: We're back at Leichhardt for the second half. Shayne Hayne blows the whistle, Tigers kickoff, Eels ball.
42 min: Eels with the ball in Tigers territory, and they back it up with a penalty after the Tigers laid a hand in the ruck. Good start to the half for the trailing side.
44 min: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Ryan Morgan. Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
Morgan bumps and spins through some Tigers defenders to get his side on the board for the first time tonight. Sandow adds the extras.
Wests Tigers 18-6
46 min: Sandow dummies twice and bursts through the line, then kicks ahead for Morgan but Koroibete wins the race to the ball and bats it dead. Tigers dropout.
49 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Benji Marshall. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
Comical scenes! Tigers get a penalty coming off their own line, it's marched ten metres for Hayne's backchat... so Marshall takes the tap and the Eels defenders have no idea - Benji sprints 60 metres untouched! He converts his own try.
Wests Tigers 24-6
50 min: Tigers with a penalty coming off their own line... Eels' Darcy Lussick is in trouble for backchat after the penalty. Tigers to match upfield.
51 min: VIDEO REFEREE Tigers try for Moltzen, Tautai has batted it back in-field, Moltzen's found the ball and got some downward pressure on it. It looks good for the black-and-golds here.
52 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Tim Moltzen. Conversion attempt by Benji Marshall successful.
Uh oh, getting ugly here. Tautai brain explosion - he's batted the ball back in and it's bobbled around for Moltzen to pounce on it. Marshall converts and suddenly it's 30-6.
Wests Tigers 30-6
55 min: Tigers error on their own 20m, just two tackles after Tim Moltzen nervously took a Roberts bomb. Eels scrum, a chance to redeem themselves again now.
57 min: The Eels set is a mess and the last tackle kick is only contested by Joel Reddy for the Tigers, the home side will work it off their own line now.
58 min: Scratch that, Tigers error from Robbie Farah. Eels scrum with twenty-two minutes on the clock.
61 min: Errors creeping into both sides' play, becoming a bit of a farce at the moment.
64 min: Parramatta offering very little in attack, Roberts with a silly grubber through the line there.
66 min: INJURY NEWS: Marika Koroibete has gone off with a twisted ankle.
69 min: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Vai Toutai. Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
Toutai manages to dot down in the corner, keeping his feet in the field of play before grounding it. Sandow converts from the touchline.
Wests Tigers 30-12
71 min: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Jacob Loko. Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
Eels up the middle, they spread it left, and Jacob Loko has the try... they couldn't... could they? Sandow converts, twelve the deficit.
Wests Tigers 30-18
73 min: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL WESTS TIGERS
Field goal attempt by Jacob Miller successful.
The Tigers work it to right in front, then Miller slots the one-pointer. Thirteen point lead for the Tigers now.
Wests Tigers 31-18
75 min: Tigers looking shaky again, Eels with a scrum 20m from the Tigers line.
76 min: Eels go blindside, error by Jacob Loko, it's into touch. Tigers feed now.
78 min: Eels get a penalty on halfway which puts them inside the Tigers 10m. Four tackles later, ball into touch. Not the Eels' night.
FULLTIME at Leichhardt. Tigers hold on against a poor showing from the Eels. Wests Tigers 31 Parramatta Eels 18.
31
Wests Tigers
18
Parramatta Eels

Friday, March 22 2013, at 8:05pm

@ Leichhardt Oval

Crowd: 18326

Referees: Shayne Hayne, Alan Shortall

Touch Judges: Russell Turner, Grant Atkins

Video Referee: Steve Clark, Luke Patten

WESTS TIGERS (31)
Tries: Chris Lawrence (2), Benji Marshall, Blake Ayshford, Tim Moltzen
Field Goals: Jacob Miller (1/1)
Conversions: Benji Marshall (4/5)
Penalty Goals: Benji Marshall (1/1)

PARRAMATTA EELS (18)
Tries: Ryan Morgan, Vai Toutai, Jacob Loko
Field Goals:
Conversions: Chris Sandow (3/3)
Penalty Goals: