Game Summary
Western Suburbs Magpies produced a breathtaking 38-26 win over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Round 13 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Lidcombe Oval, with winger Solomone Saukuru running in four tries in the Magpies' first home win for the season.
The Magpies had a dream start to score inside the first two minutes. Solomone Saukuru finished in the corner after a single play from a scrum to give Western Suburbs a 4-0 lead, with utility Bryan Fainga'a providing the assist. Nearly eight minutes later, a sustained left-edge attack culminated in Luke Laulilii finishing in the opposite corner to extend the advantage to 8-0.
The Bulldogs responded sharply as Jonathan Sua finished a sharp back-line movement to reduce the deficit to 8-4, before Kade Dykes showed a lethal change of pace to score his first try of the afternoon and draw the game at 8-8.
Laulilii's second try pushed Wests back out to a 12-8 lead. But Alex Conti's accurate boot proved decisive as half-time approached, converting Dykes' second before Logan Spinks created a stunning try to put the Bulldogs 16-12 ahead at the break.
Saukuru levelled the scores at 16-all with a brilliant run down the touchline early in the second half, with Javon Andrews adding the conversion for an 18-16 lead.
The lead changed hands four times in the second half alone. Maila Setu crossed to put the Bulldogs back in front at 20-18, before Saukuru's hat-trick try nudged the Magpies back ahead 22-20. Andrews converted superbly from the sideline to extend the margin to 24-20.
Sua's second try brought the Bulldogs level at 24-all, with Conti's boot giving Canterbury-Bankstown an edge at 26-24. With just over eight minutes remaining and the result in the balance, fullback Heath Mason stepped and surged over to reclaim the lead for the Magpies at 28-26, before Andrews converted to extend it to 30-26.
The Magpies then effectively put the game away with Saukuru's fourth try extending the lead to 34-26 with five minutes remaining, before Andrews added the extras to make it 36-26. A penalty goal with a minute left pushed the margin to 38-26, and despite the Bulldogs' desperate attempts to reduce the deficit, Western Suburbs held on for victory.
Talking Points
Solomone Saukuru was the star of the show, bagging four tries including a decisive intercept try late in the game.
Javon Andrews steadied with the boot when it mattered most, recovering from three missed conversion attempts to kick four goals in the second half - including a pressure penalty in the final minute.
Kade Dykes was a constant danger for the Magpies, finishing with a double and providing significant as a ball-runner.
Luke Laulilii produced one of the performances of the afternoon along with his first-half double, repeatedly breaking the Bulldogs' line with powerful carries in the second half.
Key Moment
With the Bulldogs threatening to pull back within two points in the final five minutes, Logan Spinks offloaded to Jonathan Sua in a promising position only for Saukuru to read the play and intercept, racing away to score under the posts. The try extended the Magpies' lead to eight points and all but ended the contest, coming at a moment when another Bulldogs try would have set up a tense finish.
What's Next?
The Magpies' win lifts them to 14 competition points as they remain two wins outside the top five. They take on the ladder-leading Penrith Panthers in Round 14, while the Bulldogs face Parramatta Eels at Accor Stadium on King's Birthday Monday.
