A record-breaking performance from Zac Lomax has fired the St George Illawarra Dragons to a commanding 56-14 victory over the Wests Tigers.
The Blues winger scored a hat-trick of tries and kicked a perfect 10 from 10 with the boot to score 32 points - the most in a game by a St George Illawarra player.
The feat bettered the previous record of 22 points in a match scored by Amos Roberts (on debut in 2000), Jamie Soward (2007), Gareth Widdop (2015, 2017, 2018) and Lomax himself in 2021.
However, Lomax also found himself on report for dangerous contact after a mid-air challenge that resulted in his Wests Tigers opposite Soloman Alaimalo suffering a head knocked which forced the New Zealand rugby union out of the match.
All three of St George Illawarra's Origin stars backed up just two days after Wednesday's series opener and they were in the thick of the action on Friday night.
Halfback Ben Hunt scored a try, had a line break and four try assists, while Jaydn Su'A was solid in a 40-minute stint and got through the match unscathed.
The Wests Tigers fought hard throughout the contest and led at half-time, however the weight of possession proved too great in the second half.
St George Illawarra ran in 42 points unanswered points after the break to turn a 14-12 deficit into a 56-14 victory.
The Wests Tigers controlled the opening exchanges of the match and it didn't take them long to convert territory into points.
An Api Koroisau 40-20 put the visitors on the attack before Sullivan produced a pinpoint bomb which Alex Lobb plucked out of the air to snare the first try of the match just four minutes in.
Sullivan had a try of his own eight minutes later, finishing off a Jahream Bula break to score against his former team.
Jayden Sullivan Try
At this point the Wests Tigers were in control and had their opponents on the backfoot, however a series of errors allowed the Dragons back in the match and they made the most of it.
This time it was a perfect Ben Hunt bomb leading to a Kyle Flanagan try before Zac Lomax finished off a Moses Suli break to put the hosts up 12-10.
St George Illawarra had plenty of chances to extend the margin throughout the final 10 minutes of the first half, however the Wests Tigers held firm before Flanagan was denied by a tight bunker ruling with two minutes left in the opening 40.
The decision proved crucial, with the visitors rolling down the field before Alex Seyfarth crashed over from short range to put his side up 14-12 at the break.
Kyle Flanagan Try
The Dragons quickly put the disappointment behind them and burst out of the gates in the second half.
Suli again was in the thick of the action, running a superb line before putting winger Mathew Feagai over in the corner in the 45th minute.
The challenge only grew for the visitors when Sullivan was sent to the sin bin, with St George Illawarra making the most of the extra man.
Mathew Feagai 1st Try
A penalty goal and tries to Luciano Leilua and Hunt saw the Dragons add 14 points with the man advantage and kick out to a 32-14 lead.
The onslaught continued upon Sullivan's return, with St George Illawarra running in four more tries to run out comfortable winners.
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Match Snapshot
- Zac Lomax broke the record for the most points in a game by a St George Illawarra player with 32. The winger finished with three tries and 10 goals.
- The Dragons remain undefeated at WIN Stadium this year, having beaten the Warriors and Sea Eagles earlier in the season.
- St George Illawarra have now won five of their past six games against the Wests Tigers, including a 24-12 victory at Campbelltown in Round Six.
- Jacob Liddle left the field late in the first half after copping a stray elbow to the cheekbone that split him open. The Dragons hooker passed his HIA and returned after halftime.
- Wests Tigers winger Soloman Alaimalo left the field midway through the second half with a head knock and did not return after an awkward collision with Lomax. The Dragon was put on report for the tackle.
- Jayden Sullivan endured a mixed return to Wollongong. The former St George Illawarra playmaker scored a try and added two try assists in a stellar opening 40 minutes. It was a tougher second half, however, with the halfback sent to the sin bin for a professional foul.
- The Dragons scored 50 points for the first time since Round 13 2021, when they defeated the Broncos 52-24.
Play of the Game
Moses Suli was at his physically dominant best midway through the first half when he burst through the Wests Tigers defensive line. The centre raced away before linking up with Dragons teammate Zac Lomax. The winger's path to the line was not clear and he managed to step his way past the final defenders to score between the posts.
Zac Lomax 1st Try
What They Said
"It's very disappointing. We seem to say the same thing every week, which is unfortunate. At the same time, we give ourselves every opportunity. We had a week off, freshened up and we started with a lot of energy, up 14-12 at half-time. To have 20% of the ball and to have as many errors as we did, schoolboy errors to be honest, is unacceptable. Our discipline, I talked to you about it before the game, it is just hurting us. We find someone to get sin binned every week, we give away silly penalties, we lose our heads and unfortunately we're in a position where we can't do that to ourselves and we do. I'll say it again, if the actions don't change, then the players have to change. It's unacceptable." - Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall.
Wests Tigers: Round 14
"We're keeping in touch with the eight, we fixed up our for and against a little bit, and we won at home against a side that's starting to get a little bit desperate. Whilst we could fix a few things up in the first half, sometimes you've got to have first halves like that to wear the opposition down, then we were just clinical in the second half." - St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan.
Dragons: Round 14
What's Next
The Wests Tigers hope a return to Leichhardt Oval will deliver a change in fortunes, with the side to host the Gold Coast next Saturday afternoon. St George Illawarra have their sights on three in a row when they travel north to face Manly next Sunday.