West Tigers player Brent Naden is sent off for dangerous tackle in loss to Manly Sea Eagles

Brent Naden has become the first Tigers player to be sent off in 20 years after an ugly dangerous throw on Jake Trbojevic in Wests shocking 30-4 loss at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Sunday afternoon. 

It continued a horror week for the club after coach Michael Maguire was axed on Tuesday morning.

It was a shocking start for interim coach Brett Kimmorley, with the side conceding 24 points in a row during the second half to gift Manly an easy win. 

Haumole Olakau’atu was the star for the Sea Eagles, scoring a try, breaking the line three times and busting 10 tackles in a dominant afternoon.

It was a demoralising day for the Tigers in a 26 point drubbing at the hands of Manly

But in reality, he was only one of the Tigers’ problems.

They were their own worst enemy as they missed 24 tackles after the break, while their only chance of the second half was thwarted by an Olakau’atu one-on-one strip.

Captain James Tamou was emblematic of those defensive issues, with the 115kg prop clutching at air on missed or ineffective tackles that led to three tries at least. 

Jake Trbojevic was lucky to avoid very serious injury in this tackle by Brent Naden

The Tigers spent the last 15 minutes of the game with 12 men after Trbojevic was caught in a two-man tackle and Naden lifted the Manly lock’s legs and drove him into the ground in what is easily the most dangerous tackle of the season thus far.

Trbojevic got up unscathed fortunately, but it didn’t stop Naden becoming the first Tigers player sent off since Corey Pearson, for retaliation, in 2002.

Naden became the first Wests Tigers player to be sent off in 20 years for his dangerous throw

It came at the end of a horror afternoon for the centre, who bombed a try when he bounced the ball over the line early and suffered a head knock trying to tackle Olakau’atu.

And while he passed the concussion test, the former Canterbury centre would have wished he had stayed off the field.

Haumole Olakau’atu, pictured scoring a try, was a dominant force for Manly in their win 

Two of Manly’s second-half tries came through his defensive channel, with Rueben Garrick the first to cross on the centre after Olakau’atu had burst downfield in the previous set.

Moments later Olakau’atu claimed a try himself, spinning through Naden and two other defenders to make it 16-4.

With Naden off the field, Tolatau Koula extended Manly’s lead when he went 55 metres to score, before Josh Aloiai completed the second of his two tries against his old club.

Tolatau Koula scores an eye-catching try for Manly in the second half

Both tries were as easy as you’ll see at NRL level, and Kimmorley will certainly up against it to turn their fortunes around. 

Manly’s dominant win ensured they kept pace with the top eight, with club sitting in ninth and behind the Sydney Roosters only on for-and-against despite already having lost Dally M winner Tom Trbojevic for the season.

Brett Kimmorley endured a tough start to life as the Wests Tigers interim coach on Sunday

The Tigers, who sit 14th, are struggling at 3-11 and the club’s eyes are now firmly on next season and their search for a new full-time coach.