NRL: Titans end Tigers season

Keith Galloway and his Tigers team-mates struggled to make headway against the Titans on Friday night. Photo / Getty Images

Titans 36
Tigers 24

Few people consider the Titans much of a threat. Maybe it's because they're only three years old and have never made the finals.

They will be there this year. The Wests Tigers won't. They haven't been to the finals since winning the 2005 grand final.

Last night, the Tigers' slim playoff hopes evaporated when they suffered their second defeat on the bounce to halt a belated run.

Just 10 days ago, they were fifth after six straight wins. Now they are 10th, still only two points off the eight but with little chance of progressing. The fact they face the in-form Bulldogs next week will hardly be cause for optimism.

The Tigers had their chances last night. They led 12-0 inside 10 minutes and also recovered from a 24-16 deficit to draw level with 20 minutes remaining.

But the Titans are a strong bunch. They have coped with plenty of injuries this season and put in a late burst to register their 16th win of the season and their 11th from 12 at home.

The fans at Skilled Park were treated to a topsy-turvy match. Momentum is a strange creature in 2009 under the dual referees.

The Tigers had it one minute, the Titans the next, as both sides enjoyed periods of dominance throughout the match.

The Titans barely saw the football in the opening 15 minutes, except when required to kick off, as the Tigers opened with the sort of desperation and intensity needed with their season on the line.

Benji Marshall crossed in the fourth minute, backing up a scything Tim Moltzen break, and Robbie Farah followed soon after, burrowing over from dummy half.

It seemed the Titans, who last week assured themselves an historic home semifinal, were still suffering a hangover.

But they still had a chance of winning a minor premiership - albeit slim - and didn't fancy heading into the finals on the back of a stuttering couple of performances.

They registered an unspectacular 20-10 win over the Sharks last weekend and had a home record to maintain.

Preston Campbell, who has often shifted from fullback to five-eight in recent weeks, provided the spark. He sliced through the Tigers defence to put Scott Prince in after 15 minutes and then dotted down himself after a series of good offloads.

Momentum was suddenly with the home side.

And then the visitors.

Chris Henry went over in the corner just before the break after a Titans error close to their own line to give the visitors a 16-12 halftime lead.

It was their final lead of the match.

The Titans added a brace of tries through Prince and Luke O'Dwyer soon after the restart and, although Farah and Rhys Hanbury scored to level things, the home side weren't in the mood to offer the Tigers any charity. It's an approach that will serve them well in the coming weeks.

Titans 36 (S. Prince 2, P. Campbell, L. O'Dwyer, M. Rogers, S. Tagatese tries, Prince 6 gls) Tigers 24 (R. Farah 2, B. Marshall, C. Henry, R. Hanbury tries, Marshall 2 gls). Halftime: 12-16.