For the final game of Round Fourteen of the NRL we were in the bottom half of the table as Wests Tigers took on Canterbury Bulldogs at the Bankwest Stadium in Sydney. Wests were the bookies favourites as they looked to turn their tenth place into ninth to keep in touch with the top eight. But the Bulldogs knew that a win would be enough to lift them from the wooden spoon position and over the Brisbane Broncos into fifteenth position.

There were plenty of changes for both sides as both looked to halt losing streaks. Wests had Seyfarth, Taylor, Liddle, Reynolds and Garner in their seventeen while Canterbury selected Cogger, Holland and Doorey over the side which lost heavily to the Storm last time out.

A terrific run by David Nofaoaluma put the Tigers in great position and two plays later Moses Mbye took the pass to push off the Bulldogs tacklers and dive over the line. Mbye added the conversion to his own try for a 6-0 lead after eight minutes.

On fifteen the Bulldogs were back on level terms after Jack Cogger broke the Tigers line on forty before finding Nick Meaney in support to scamper over under the sticks. Kerrod Holland added the conversion from the shadow of the uprights for 6-6.

Fleet of foot Nofoaluma set up the Tigers second try as he evaded four tackles before finding Luke Garner in space to go in from two metres. Mbye was able to add the conversion to re-establish the six-point lead.

A Benji Marshall 40-20 marched the Tigers downfield. Two plays later Marshall and Joseph Leilua put Nofoaluma over in space down the right wing, a just reward for having set up the first two Wests tries. Mbye was unable to add the touchline conversion but at 16-6 the Bulldogs were being cut adrift.

A pinpoint Marshall grubber hit a Bulldogs defenders’ legs and zipped up off the turf into the hands of Garner for a walk-in try, his second of the half. Mbye smacked his conversion between the uprights for 22-6.

Five minutes from the break Marcelo Montoya took a long pass to make two steps and ground in the left corner. Holland pulled his kick wide of the left upright. On the kick-off return the Bulldogs were in again as Kieran Foran ripped through the Tigers defence before finding Matt Doorey to scamper over under the sticks. Hollands conversion made it 16-22 at the interval, the Bulldogs right back in the game.

A stunning decision by Marshall King, to pass with the line exposed in front of him after a good break, provided Aidan Tolman with the pass who managed to get the ball on the ground. King could have scored with ease, Tolman almost blew it under scrutiny from the bunker. Holland added the conversion to level the scores after the Bulldogs had been trailing by 22-6.

A moment of magic from Marshall looked like he’d juggled the ball in the Bulldogs goal area to score the try but the bunker detected a knock on and ruled out the try.

On sixty-nine the Bulldogs hit the front for the first time in the game. A superb offload from Jeremy Marshall-King on the Tigers line went into the hands of Holland who shrugged off the tacklers to score. Holland added the conversion, in off the upright, for a six-point lead.

An attempted Jack Cogger field goal on seventy-one went wide of the uprights.

Within a minute of the missed drop goal the Tigers surged downfield and with a two on one situation down the right-wing Joey Leilua powered his way over the line. Mbye converted brilliantly from the touchline and the scores were level again at 28-28 with six minutes to play.

Marshall pushed a drop goal attempt to the right of the uprights on seventy-six as the Tigers tried to snatch the win. Cogger had another go for Canterbury on seventy-seven, again his attempt went wide of the sticks from forty metres. Two minutes from time Luke Brooks nailed a forty-metre effort for the Tigers to take a one-point lead.

When the Bulldogs lost the ball on attack with seventy seconds left on the clock all that Wests had to do was run down the clock and this they did to hold on to a one point win and move to ninth place on the ladder.

A tremendous game of rugby where it was impossible to pick the winner until the final hooter sounded. Wests were sensational in the opening stages but a brilliant Bulldogs fightback, almost from nowhere, found them back on level terms.

Wests Tigers: Doueihi, Nofoaluma (T), Leilua J (T), Mbye (T, 4G), Talau, Brooks (DG), Marshall, Aloiai, Liddle, Packer, Leilua L, Garner (2T), Eisenhuth. Subs: Reynolds, McIntyre, Seyfarth, Taylor.

Canterbury Bulldogs: Meaney (T), Montoya (T), Lafai, Holland (T 4G), Smith, Foran, Cogger, Odgen, Katoa, Napa, Jackson, Faitala-Mariner, Thompson. Subs: Marshall-King, Tolman (T), Sue, Doorey (T).

Referee: Matt Cecchin.

Half-Time: 22-16.

Full-Time: 29-28.

Ground: Bankwest Stadium, Sydney.