Greater Northern Tigers: Tigers men Country Championship hopes extinguished by Western Rams

The Rams scored seven tries to two, five of them in a second half rampage, to set up disappointing defeat for the home side and extinguishing their Country Championship hopes.

Tigers coach Brad McManus wondered "how much difference a week makes" after his side slumped from the highs of beating Newcastle Maitland last Saturday to a low of a 30-point defeat on home territory.

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The Tigers were never able to find top gear, the heat of the day (1pm kickoff) helped sap any great energy from the side.

Ironically, the Tigers led 4-nil early after a cut out pass to Reece Jaeger enabled the Gunnedah centre to give replacement winger Isaah Millgate a dash for the line before the young Werris Creek back passed back inside for Jaeger to dive over.

Millgate was in the side only after North Tamworth's Tex Lagmiri had rung Tigers (and Norths) coach Brad McManus at around 2pm Friday to say he wasn't going to play because he was playing in a rugby sevens tournament with his Fijian mates in Inverell on Saturday!

It floored McManus, throwing the final training session into disarray.

After leading 4-nil the Tigers also fell into disarray, trailing 10-4 at halftime after receiving some ordinary decisions coupled with simple handling errors.

It worsened in the second half with halfback Scott Briggs sinbinned as well as the Rams took control against a tired Tiger defence struggling in the hot conditions.

"It was very disappointing," McManus said.

"You can't win games without the ball.

"We also talked about how hot it was going to be but we didn't think it would be that hot.

"A week is a long time in football, we just weren't the same side," he pondered as he showed the disappointment he and his players felt over the lacklustre effort.

"We went in trailing at halftime and spoke about doing the basics but didn't do it. Then their blokes run through our middle. I thought we were better than that."

It was almost as if the side had issued a welcome mat to the Rams and they responded with gusto running in three quick tries to blow the game apart at 28-4.

Mitch Doring was able to stop that flow when he chased his own grubber to score and make it 28-8 but the Rams cruised over for a couple of late tries for the 38-8 result.

"Mitch was good, and Blanchie (Scott Blanch) and Hoogs (Daniel Hoogerwerf) but Lincon Smith was probably our best forward. He's grown a leg this year."

WESTERN RAMS 38 (Lose Sili 2, Sam Simmonds, Jake Betts, Mitchell Andrews, Jackson Bron Nick Greenhalgh tries, Greenhalgh 5gls) d GREATER NORTHERN 8 (Reece Jaeger, Mitch Doring tries, Scott Briggs gl)

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