The Wests Tigers are confident Jack Littlejohn will inject some much-needed defensive starch into their halves as they continue their unlikely run into the NRL finals.The Tigers face the first of many make-or-break games in the run home against premiers North Queensland at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon with Littlejohn to deputise for injured No.7 Luke Brooks.While Brooks absence due to a knee injury will heap pressure on in-form five-eighth Mitchell Moses in attack, Littlejohn is shaping as a key figure in the last five weeks for the 10th placed Tigers.Its no secret that defence has been the deep flaw in the Tigers game this year - conceding the fourth most points (average 24.1 per game) and second most linebreaks (5.7 per game).Defence has particularly been a problem for the Tigers halves with Brooks missing the most tackles of any player in the competition with 85 and Moses making the fourth most defensive errors with 74.Littlejohn, who has just six NRL games to his credit with five appearances for Manly in 2014 and round one for the Tigers, stands at a lanky 187cm and has been tipped by his teammates as being able to hold his own.Hes a real competitor, a very physical half, back-rower Chris Lawrence said.Hes going to test the line and hes got really strong defence.Hes a competitor and hes going to do it to the best of his ability.Fullback James Tedesco said coach Jason Taylor had put a big emphasis on defence over the last two months and the fruits of their labour were beginning to show after conceding just three tries in their last two outings - wins against Parramatta and St George Illawarra.Our defence has probably been our emphasis over the back end of the year, Tedesco said.The last two weeks weve probably only let in two or three tries, which has been a big positive for us.Our attack has always clicked but weve just got to be more consistent. We do it for good parts during the game and then we slack off for 10 or 20 minutes and weve let a few tries in.Its just about staying in the grind and when we complete at over 80 per cent we tend to turn that into points. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-Sammie-Coates-Jersey/ . Ryan Garbutt had a goal and two assists as Dallas snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-Jc-Tretter-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-Marcus-Martin-Jersey/ .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/T-Shirts/ .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/ . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. HARVEY, La. -- A road rage incident possibly sparked by a driver cutting off another on a nearby bridge spiraled into a shooting that left an ex-NFL player dead, authorities said, amid criticism the shooter was allowed to go free.Joe McKnight, 28, was shot Thursday afternoon in Terrytown, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. Authorities identified Ronald Gasser, 54, as the shooter and released him overnight.At a news conference Friday, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said the altercation started on a nearby bridge and proceeded into the New Orleans suburb.Witnesses reported hearing rapid gunfire after the two men were in a heated argument.Normand said Gasser shot McKnight three times from inside his car while McKnight stood outside and then gave his handgun to deputies when they arrived at the scene soon afterward. No weapon was found on or near McKnights body, authorities said.No charges have been filed, and some have criticized the sheriff for releasing Gasser.Morris Reed Sr., president of the New Orleans branch of the NAACP, was part of a small group of protesters outside the sheriffs office Friday. He said they would ask the Department of Justice to open an independent investigation into the shooting.Until someone is charged with a crime, justice is not served, he said on local media.Dozens of people gathered at the scene of the shooting Friday night, holding hands in prayer and lighting candles. One woman held a sign saying This is murder.Normand defended his handling of the case, saying they would investigate thoroughly. Speaking of Gassers release, the sheriff said the state has certain statutes that provide a defense to certain crimes but did not go into detail.Normand rejected accounts in local media speculating about the shooting. He said theres no video of the incident and Gasser did not stand over McKnight, firing. Coroner Gerry Cvitanovich said McKnights three wounds were not consistent with being shot from above.When asked whether the states stand your ground law will play a role, Normand said: It is one of the issues that looms on the horizon, before saying he didnt want to give an opinion.Stand your ground laws give people wide latitude to use deadly force when they believe they are in danger. Dane Ciolino, a Loyola University law professor in New Orleans, says under such laws people engaged in lawful activity in a place where they have a lawful right to be, dont have to retreat.He said it ... boils down to whether the killing is necessary for this man to save his life.But news that Gasser has been involved in a similar altercation -- at the same intersection -- with a driver a decade ago will likely raise further questions about who was the aggressor.Normand said in a press release late Friday that in February 2006, a man obseerved a truck driving erratically and called a number on the truck, speaking to a man later identified as Gasser.ddddddddddddGasser and the man got into a fight on the phone and then Gasser followed the man to a service station, confronted him and hit him several times. Gasser drove away and the victim called 911.Investigators found Gasser and issued a misdemeanor summons for simple battery, which was later dismissed. Authorities said they are trying to determine why it was dismissed.McKnights grandmother, Barbara Franklin, said relatives are trying to find out our own selves just what happened and why Gasser was released.He might be released now, but God is going to bring about justice in it, she said by phone.McKnights death was eerily similar to that of former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith who was killed last April in a shooting sparked by a traffic altercation.The man accused of shooting Smith goes on trial Monday in New Orleans. The discrepancy in how the two shooters were treated stood out for Kawanee Holmes, of Gretna, Louisiana who came to the intersection where McKnight was shot to leave balloons and flowers with a friend.It wasnt justified what he did. He could have defused the situation by driving away, Holmes said.McKnight is black and Gasser is white, authorities said. Normand denied race played a role, pointing out that the man who raised McKnight used to be a sheriffs deputy and many people in the department are close to his family.McKnight played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent this season in the Canadian Football League. He was considered the nations No. 1 running back recruit when he came out of Louisiana in 2006 and signed with the University of Southern California.Former teammates in New York remembered McKnight fondly.I enjoyed the time when he was here and getting to know him as a person. I think its going to hurt his son the most and thats what is really bothering me -- knowing that a kid will have to grow up without his dad, said Muhammad Wilkerson.The Jets plan a moment of silence before Mondays game to honor McKnight.Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll coached McKnight at USC and said he had talked with McKnight just three weeks ago in California.He had a great heart, he was a great kid, he was fun to be around, fun loving but you just knew he had a lot of stuff to overcome and he was making it, Carroll said. Were going to miss him greatly, Carroll said.---Associated Press reporters Jeff Amy in Jackson, Mississippi, Dennis Waszak Jr. in Florham Park, New Jersey, and Tim Booth contributed to this report.---Follow Rebecca Santana on Twitter (at)ruskygal. 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