[Source: NRL]

After an excruciating 14 months on the sideline with his third knee reconstruction, Adam Doueihi returned in style to lead Wests Tigers to a 48-24 win over the Raiders on Sunday at Campbelltown Stadium.

In his first game in the top grade since Round 6 last year, Doueihi came up with a try, 212 run metres and five tackle breaks while young gun Lachlan Galvin grabbed a double and ran for 181 metres.

On the back of a Jahream Bula mistake the Tigers were under pressure early but Brent Naden turned defence into attack when he took an intercept and ran 65 metres before the ball went to Galvin, who brushed through a Jordan Rapana tackle to score in just the fourth minute.

Just five minutes later the Tigers were over the line again but Bula lost control of the ball as he tried to get it down and the Raiders survived but the reprieve was short lived.

Handed field position again by a Rapana error the Tigers grabbed their second when debutant Luke Laulilii went to dummy half 10 metres out and embarrassed the Raiders defence as he powered over. Api Koroisau’s conversion made it 12-0 after 11 minutes.

The home side looked to have a third try through Koroisau courtesy of a miracle pass by Samuela Fainu in the 16th minute but replays showed Aidan Sezer had knocked on while leaping for a bomb in the lead-up.

A trysaver by Rapana denied Doueihii in the 21st minute before Zac Woolford manager to hold up Sione Fainu in the 26th minute as the Raiders were forced to defend waves of attack from a confident Tigers outfit.

With five minutes remaining in the half it was Sione Fainu powering past Danny Levi and Emre Guler to extend the Tigers’ lead to 18-0.

The Raiders threatened late in the half through Kaeo Weekes and Hudson Young to give them hope of a comeback and they closed the gap to 18-2 with a penalty goal to Rapana after the half-time siren.

In their first set of the second half the Tigers had the Campbelltown Stadium in raptures when they pushed the ball left and Bula found space before finding Solomona Faataape in support, the winger picking up Doueihi and finally Galvin to finish off a magnificent team try.

With their confidence sky high the Tigers had another one three minutes later when Koroisau swooped on a loose ball and got a pass to Bula who streaked away to make it 30-2.

The Raiders finally found a try in the 48th minute when Levi burrowed over from dummy half but any thoughts of a revival were snuffed out when Stefano Utoikamanu powered over from close range to make it 36-8 to Benji Marshall’s men.

Young gun Galvin added to his highlight reel in the 58th minute when he put in a deft grubber for Koroisau to score and at 42-8 the Tigers were in party mode with their fourth win of the season seemingly secured.

With Alex Seyfarth sin binned in the 63rd minute for a professional foul the Raiders took advantage immediately with Nick Cotric crossing wide out to cut the margin to 30 points.

Just three minutes later Weekes used his superior speed to rip the Tigers defence open and swerve around Bula to pull it back to 42-18.

A scramble from a high ball in the 69th minute resulted in a try to Ethan Strange and the Tigers were suddenly looking nervous at 42-24 befpre Doeihi capped a remarkable return to the big time with a runaway intercept try to ice the Tigers’ fourth win of the season.