In a game where defence and ball security were seemingly not a priority, the Tigers raced out to an 18-0 lead by the 12th minute of the match.

Incredibly, Western clawed their way back and at one stage with all the momentum behind them in the second half, they led 34-30.

The Tigers fought back and led 38-34 when an off-load from Parkes colossus Brandon Tago and quick hands from St Pat's hooker Benjamin John put Demtrius Ainnu in for his team's seventh try to help Western to a 40-38 lead.

With four minutes to go that could have been the game, but a bomb from Tigers half Matt Nean and a brilliant chase, leap and catch from winger Harold Duncan saw the Tigers reclaim the lead.

Another try on the siren took the margin out to eight points.

"I didn't really think we'd blown it when Western got back to the lead, on days like today a lot of points are going to be scored and I thought that if we controlled the ball we could pull it back again," winning coach Darryl Rando said.

"The way we started was exactly how we wanted to, three tries early on. But from there we dropped too much ball and invited then back into the game.

"We knew going in that we had a lot of points in us but defensively there are obviously a few things we need to fix going into the next round."

The signs weren't good for the Rams when they coughed the ball up three times in their first four sets and they were made to pay as Tigers lock Daniel Ritter and winger Joel Harrison each crossed in the first five minutes.

The teams exchanged more errors before a grubber from Nean hit the left upright and bounced straight back into the arms of Ritter to score his side's third.

A massacre looked on the cards at that point.

Finally Western found some solidity and a bullet pass from Garry Reilly found Jyie Chapman who combined with Ben McAlpine in sending John Grey over for Western's first.

VIDEO: What the coaches had to say after full time:

McAlpine was involved again soon after when Corin Smith scored their second and with McAlpine's conversion the score was back to 18-10 and the game was a contest again.

The teams traded tries again before Western looked like they'd pinched the initiative via a try to Forbes back-rower Jake Grace, but, at 24-22 down, they conceded an untimely try seconds from half-time to Scott Blanch.

Leading 30-22 at the start of the second half the Tigers spilled the ball on the resumption of play, fitting really given that both teams completed at barely 50 per cent in the first half.

Smith made a big bust down the left edge but couldn't finish, however he was on hand to take advantage of a long McAlpine break soon after and Western were again within two points.

After going off to have stitches to his face in the first half, John came back with 25 minutes to go and it lifted his team, while Tago's second stint was also having an impact and he smashed his way over to score Western's sixth try.

Suddenly in front after playing catch-up all day, the Rams didn't quite know how to bury the game and they gifted Northern a try almost immediately to go back to 34-all.

Duncan scored the first of his two tries with 12 minutes remaining, before Ainnu's try looked to have given the Rams a miracle win, but it wasn't to be.

"Somehow we got ourselves into a winning position but we gave away a pretty rare penalty and helped set them up to go back in front," Western coach Michael Sullivan said.

"They [the Tigers] kept playing footy even when the pressure was on, they continued to back themselves and threw it around. 

"That last try was a case of wanting it more, their winger wanted to get to that bomb more than our guys and he did it."

Smith and McAlpine were outstanding for Western as well as Tago and Jack Afamasaga in the forwards, while Ritter was superb for the Tigers along with fullback Tim Smith and prop Marshall Barker.

NORTHERN TIGERS 48 (Daniel Ritter 2, Harold Duncan 2, Joel Harrison 2, Scott Blanch, Tim Smith, Aaron Donnelly tries; Matt Nean 6 goals) def WESTERN RAMS 40 (Corin Smith 2, John Grey, Demetrius Ainnu, Jake Grace, Brandon Tago, Justin Toomey-White tries; Ben McAlpine 6 goals)