Cult hero Taniela Tuiaki scored a double as the Wests Tigers produced a 34-26 come-from-behind NRL victory over Canberra at Campbelltown Stadium on Monday night.
The hulking winger scored in the 12th and 60th minutes as the Tigers came from 26-18 down at half time to score an eight point
victory in front of 17,392 fans.
Tuiaki received a standing ovation after a brilliant 30m try in the 60th minute as halfback Benji Marshall converted from the sidelines to give the Tigers a 28-26 lead they never relinquished.
But the try was somewhat controversial as Tuiaki was twice brought to the ground but allowed to get up and keep running as the referee had not called held as the defenders fell off him.
Fullback Tim Moltzen secured the result after picking up Terry Campese's chip kick and running 70m untouched to score beneath the posts seven minutes from full time.
Centre Chris Lawrence sparked the second half fightback when he burst over in the 54th minute after quick hands from Chris Heighington and Todd Payten.
It was a brilliant comeback from the Tigers after they appeared to throw the game away by conceding two tries in the final three minutes of the first half.
Fullback David Milne scored a 60m try in the 40th minute after bursting onto a Bronson Harrison pass while centre Adrian Purtell dived on a loose ball in the goal area after Moltzen stripped Campese over the line in the 37th minute.
There were five lead changes in the high-scoring game as both halves produced rocks and diamonds.
Campese was a standout in the first half, booting five goals and setting up three of Canberra's four tries, but then put a kick off out on the full in the second half and chipped the ball that led to Moltzen's match sealer.
Halfback Marshall had a mixed game, twice kicking out on the full but having a hand in Tuiaki's first try and Todd Payten's 34th minute four-pointer.
Raiders winger Justin Carney scored twice in four minutes in the first half running off Campese while Tigers captain Robbie Farah darted over from dummy half in the 24th minute, just four minutes after joining the action.
Tigers teammates are already calling Tuiaki's second effort the "try of the season" but the Kiwi winger said he thought the referee was going to penalise him for playing on.
"I was expecting the referee to say held but I did not hear anything so I just got up and kept on playing," said Tuiaki.
"I got up two times and looked around and saw the tryline and just went for it and put the ball down."
Raiders coach David Furner said he did not have a clear enough view to have an opinion on Tuiaki's try, but conceded it was the turning point as the Tigers capitalised on several sets attacking the line.
"Whether or not it stopped momentum I don't know," said Furner.
"That was on the back of something like six or seven sets, so that's hard to defend."
Tuiaki said he had been motivated for a big year after Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney left him out of last year's World Cup-winning squad because he had not been putting in enough effort.
The 26-year-old said he had taken it upon himself to get more involved this season and win back his Test jumper.
"It is a pretty important year for me. I want to try play week in and week out consistently and get back into the Kiwi side," he said.
"I was pretty quiet last year but back in 2007 I did heaps of work.
"It was pretty tough watching the boys win the World Cup last year.
"I know I need to get more involved in the game and help out the forwards.
"That is one of my goals this year, to get back my Test jumper."
- AAP
Tigers winger Taniela Tuiaki celebrates scoring one of his two tries against the Raiders last night. Photo / Getty Images
Cult hero Taniela Tuiaki scored a double as the Wests Tigers produced a 34-26 come-from-behind NRL victory over Canberra at Campbelltown Stadium on Monday night.
The hulking winger scored in the 12th and 60th minutes as the Tigers came from 26-18 down at half time to score an eight point
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