2022 Andrew Johns Cup semi-final: Greater Northern loss 22-16 to Macarthur Wests Tigers

The Tigers were without their coach Brett Jarrett, who contracted Covid 19 last week, and they played under stand-in coach Peter Stevens.

They also played on a saturated Collegians Sporting Complex ground, which made handling difficult.

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"It was unfortunate to have to play in those conditions," Jarrett said after watching the match live on NSWRLTV.

"Our first half really killed us. We couldn't turn[over] as much ball as we did. Really shot ourselves in the foot."

Down 10-0 at half-time after a mistake-riddled first 30 minutes, the Greater Northern Tigers found their way back into the contest when halfback Jordan Hamlin produced a wonderful pass to send Luke Marco over in the 44th minute.

Trailing 16-6, the Tigers needed to be the next to score but Macarthur Wests Tigers' Amazon-Paul Pua'Avase scrambled over from dummy half to blow it out to a 22-6 lead with eight minutes left.

Greater Northern fought back again and scored two tries in two minutes, through Dylan Keane and captain Sam Carr, to trail 22-16 and then created a chance - only for winger Ryan Jurkans to drop a high pass with the tryline just 20m away.

"The boys fought back well in the second half," Jarrett said. "Just disappointing to lose when you don't play as well as you can."

Tigers prop Campbell Munn was a standout, Jarrett said.

"He's been a standout the whole campaign. He's led from the front the whole time."

Macarthur Wests Tigers will play the North Coast Titans in next weekend's final, after the Titans beat the Illawarra South Coast Dragons 20-16 in Sunday's other semi-final.

MACARTHUR WESTS TIGERS 22 (Kimball Liufau, Aaron Keppie, Byronn Laupepa, Amazon-Paul Pua'Avase tries; Noah McKenzie 3 goals) d GREATER NORTHERN TIGERS 16 (Luke Marco, Dylan Keane, Sam Carr tries; Oscar Atkin 2 goals).

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