Zac Lomax's record-breaking night has helped catapult St George Illawarra into the NRL's top eight, as they handed Wests Tigers a ninth straight loss with a 56-14 humiliation in Wollongong.
Meanwhile, Wests Tigers' coach Benji Marshall has warned his players that changes will be made if the team does not address their errors and ill-discipline after giving up a half-time lead.
Just two days after his NSW State of Origin debut, Lomax scored a hat-trick and kicked a perfect 10-from-10 with the boot to finish with a Dragons' record 32 points.
Notably, the crushing win for St George came after the Tigers led 10-0 inside 15 minutes, before succumbing to their biggest loss of the year as the Dragons ran in an unanswered 44 second-half points.
Marshall lamented his side's performance in the post-match press conference, calling out his side for their "unacceptable" errors.
"Discipline … it is just hurting us," he said.
"We find someone to get sin-binned every week. Give away silly penalties, we lose our head and unfortunately, we are in a position where we can't do that to ourselves.
"I'll say it again: If the actions don't change then the players have to change."
Marshall also said he felt sorry for the supporters who have suffered with the club over a number of seasons.
"I feel sorry for them, to have to watch that capitulation in the second half," he said.
"I feel very sorry for them. I can imagine how frustrating it is putting your hard earned [money] into it.
"But at the same time we're on a trajectory of improvement and although tonight was terrible, there has definitely been improvement."
In spite of the end score, Wests were the better side in the opening minutes.
Former Dragon Jayden Sullivan looked in for a big revenge game, kicking for the first try to winger Alex Lobb and scoring the Tigers' next to make it 10-0.
At that point he offered a this-is-my-house-style celebration, before also setting up a try for Alex Seyfarth on half-time to give the Tigers a 14-12 lead.
But the former Dragons playmaker went from hero to zero in the second half, when sin-binned for taking Luciano Leilua out on a kick chase.
The Dragons scored 14 points while he was off the field, going from 18-14 up to certain winners with a 32-14 advantage when their ex-teammate returned.
While Hunt was superb for St George with his kicking game and a try when he dummied, stepped back inside and scored in the second half, he wasn't alone.
Moses Suli was also strong, putting Lomax over for a first-half try when he burst through two defenders from inside his own end, before sending Matt Feagai over for another.
Feagai also finished with a double, as did Luciano Leilua, with the second-rower crashing over for one and running onto a Hunt grubber kick for another.
The Dragons and Lomax face a nervous wait after the winger was put on report for a mid-air collision with Solomon Alaimalo, who had to be taken from the field.
Only a grade-three dangerous contact charge would have any impact on Lomax's NSW Origin availability.
The Red V still need several results to go in their favour to end the weekend in the top eight, but if they do it would mark the first time they have been there this late in a season since 2021.
Re-live all the action in our live blog below.
A frustrating night for the Tigers comes to an end.
What looked promising at the start of the match turned into arguably their worst performance of the season.
Meanwhile, Zac Lomax set a club record with 32 points in a match, as the Dragons ran in nine tries for a 56-14 win.
We will be back again tomorrow for more live coverage of the NRL.
I hope you join us then.
Goodnight.
Wests coach Benji Marshall was asked if he had a message for Tigers fans after this loss.
"I feel sorry for them, to have to watch that capitulation in the second half," Marshall says.
"I feel very sorry for them. I can imagine how frustrating it is putting your hard earned [money] into it.
"But at the same time we're on a trajectory of improvement and although tonight was terrible, there has definitely been improvement."
Penalties were a major issue for the Tigers tonight.
Coming into the game they were the most penalised team in the NRL, and they added to that statistic tonight.
Benji Marshall has spoken before about the need to fix their ill-discipline, and now he has really laid down the law.
"Discipline… it is just hurting us,' he says.
"We find someone to get sin-binned every week. Give away silly penalties, we lose our head and unfortunately, we are in a positon where we can't do that to ourselves.
"I'll say it again. If the actions don't change then the players have to change."
The Tigers started the game the better of the two sides tonight.
They raced out to a 10-0 lead and led 14-12 at half-time.
"We give ourselves every opportunity. We had a week off, freshened up. We started with a lot of energy … to have as many errors as we did — schoolboy errors to be honest. Unacceptable," coach Benji Mashall says in his press conference.
After watching his team go from a 14-12 half-time lead to a 56-14 loss, Benji Marshall does not look happy.
His opening sentence has set a tone.
"Very disappointing. We seem to say the same thing every week, which is unfortunate."
Zac Lomax has become the 11th player in premiership history to score 30 points in a match.
Wow, I thought Dragons would win but not by 42! The Tigers weren't even given a final consolation try - Thanks for the blog Mick
- Mike
G'Day Mike — a loyal blog reader.
Two things can be true in life — and that is the case tonight.
St George were outstanding in the second half.
Wests were awful in the second half.
That would have been a very tough watch for the Tigers' fans.
Zac Lomax was a superstar tonight.
Three tries, 10 goals — 32 points.
Asked about his form he said:
"Whatever I can do for the team, I just love doing it."
Asked about what their mindset was after being down 14-12 at half-time, Lomax said they just needed to regroup.
"We just had to stick to our gameplan and do our thing. We are super pumped."
St George winger Zac Lomax has scored a club record 32 points in a match as the Dragons thumped Wests Tigers 56-14.
The Tigers led 14-12 at half-time, before suffering an implosion in the second half.
The Dragons scored seven tries in the second half, while Tigers halfback Jayden Sullivan was sent to the sin-bin for a professional foul.
Zac Lomax has a hattrick.
The Dragons save their best until last.
Another set on the Tigers' line, and Ben Hunt produces a little banana kick to his centre Max Feagai.
Feagai gives it to Lomax scores. He has 30 points.
Lomax will have the kick. He has kicked nine out of nine.
HE HAS 10 OUT OF 10.
ZAC HAS 32 POINTS.
What a win.
Zac Lomax has set a new club record for most points in a match.
He has 26 points tonight, with two tries and nine goals.
The previous club record was 22 points in a match.
Zac Lomax has a double.
The Dragons have eight tries.
They again are attacking the Tigers' try-line.
After going so close the play before, St George go to the right and they have an overlap.
Lomax dives in untouched.
The Dragons think they are in again.
Left winger Mathew Feagai crosses the line, but referee Chris Butler sends it to the Bunker.
Butler thinks there has been an obstruction, and there was.
Luciano Leilua just got his line wrong and took out a defender.
The Dragons have their seventh try. It's their fifth try in this second half.
After defending their line valiantly, St George marched down the field and score.
They have cut the Tigers up the middle, and it was finished by a looping pass from Kyle Flanagan to the left wing of Mathew Feagai, who steps inside and scores.
Tigers' second-rower Alex Seyfarth has been denied a try because of a double movement.
This was one of the most blatant double movements there has ever been.
He knew it as soon has he did it. He is annoyed with himself.
Oh my. This was a nasty hit.
A high ball went up from the Dragons.
Tigers winger Solomon Alaimalo jumps in the air.
He takes the footy, and he has his legs taken out by Zac Lomax.
BANG.
Lomax ran into Alaimalo's knee, and Alaimalo has crashed into the ground.
Alaimalo's head has slammed into the turf.
It's an accident. Lomax always had eyes for the footy, but he got his timing all wrong.
Alaimalo is off for treatment. Lomax is on report.
The Tigers have imploded.
It looks as if they are more focused on niggle and big hits, rather than playing footy.
The Dragons again are in great field position following the Tigers' error.
A small grubber kick goes to the in-goal. There are no Tigers in sight. Two Dragons are there and it is Luciano Leilua who grounds the ball.
"[The Tigers] have been caught up in trying to get in the face of the Dragons," Luke Lewis tells ABS Sport commentary.
Ben Hunt has scored and the Dragons look unstoppable.
St George were again attacking the Dragons' line.
Hunt takes the footy to the line. He throws a dummy pass —he throws another, and then he steps off his right foot and score.
There is a push and shove. Hunt spiked the ball on one of the Tigers' defenders on the ground.
The scuffle is defused quickly.
St George is marching.
They have another set on the Tigers' try-line, after Zac Lomax bundled his opposing winger over the sideline to get the ball back.
Ben Hunt takes the footy to the defensive line, and then give a short ball to Luciano Leilua who crashes over to score.
It's getting worse for the Tigers.
Halfback Jayden Sullivan has been sent to the sin-bin for a professional foul on Dragon Samuela Fainu, who was taken out chasing a grubber in the in-goal.
Poor discipline from the Tigers hurts them so often.
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