NRL: Tigers survive Raiders' late surge

Lote Tuqiri of the Tigers celebrates scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images

They either fooled everyone all week, or they performed a Lazarus-like recovery.

That name might be synonymous with their opponents Canberra, but the Wests Tigers somehow managed to empty a huge casualty ward onto Canberra Stadium for Friday night's 26-24 semi-final win.

As the Raiders lost captain Terry Campese to what appeared a serious knee injury, the Tigers had the benefit of all five in-doubt stars playing.

Most significant was brilliant five-eighth Benji Marshall, who had sat out the closing stages of last Saturday's gruelling 100-minute golden-point loss to the Sydney Roosters with ice on a bung knee.

He showed no sign of that Friday night, laying on the Tigers' first two tries and looking dangerous with every touch of the ball.

Backrower Gareth Ellis spent much of the week in the team's best friend, the hyperbaric chamber, before overcoming a back injury and storming over for the Tigers' second try.

Centre Chris Lawrence played after breaking his jaw less than three weeks ago but the Raiders clearly targeted him through wide-running secondrower Bronson Harrison.

The Kiwi international scored one and laid on another two through that channel as Lawrence's uncharacteristic grabs showed he was nowhere near 100 per cent.

He made some amends, though, with a 49th minute try.

His centre partner Blake Ayshford had been quarantined from team-mates and was only cleared of glandular fever midweek.

Coach Tim Sheens had called him ``very doubtful'' on Thursday but there he was.

Prop Bryce Gibbs (knee) was even promoted from the bench to a starting role but might have wished he hadn't when he copped a high shot from David Shillington in the opening minute.

For lock Chris Heighington, the wounds might have been more emotional after he lost the crucial ball at the back of a scrum which allowed the Roosters to send last weekend's match into extra time.

But that all changed when he wobbled from the field in the 49th minute after a Scott Logan high shot which is certain to attract the attention of the match review committee.

The Raiders were left to ponder a cruel irony - an injury-marred build-up for their opponents had turned into them losing their best player, Campese, just when a comeback looked on.

WESTS TIGERS 26 (G Ellis C Heighington C Lawrence L Tuqiri tries B Marshall 5 goals) bt CANBERRA 24 (B Harrison J Monaghan T Thurling A Tongue tries J Croker 4 goals) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Tony Archer, Jared Maxwell. Crowd: 26,476.

- AAP