Western Suburbs Magpies produced a stunning second-half display to defeat the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 36-30 in a breathless Round 20 clash of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday, in a result that sends the Magpies soaring to sixth place on the ladder.
The Magpies drew first blood through centre Solomone Saukuru, who powered over off a smart left-edge play inside the opening ten minutes, with halfback Jock Madden adding the extras to make it 6-0. The Bulldogs responded quickly, with Bronson Xerri stepping Magpies fullback Heath Mason to score with Jonathan Sua adding the extra’s to level the scores at 6-all.
Alex Conti proved decisive in the first half, threading a grubber on the fifth tackle for captain Logan Spinks to pounce and give Canterbury a 12-6 lead. However, the Magpies responded with two tries in quick succession through Junior Tupou and Saukuru’s second of the afternoon, courtesy of their lethal left-edge combination, to swing the lead back to the Magpies at 16-12.
In the lead up to half-time, Mason produced two moments of magic, securing a double and handing the Magpies a commanding 28-12 buffer at the break after Madden finished with four conversions from their five first-half tries.
The second half continued at a relentless pace. Faaletino Tavana crossed out wide after a Madden 40/20 created the platform, pushing the margin out to 20 points with just over 30 minutes remaining.
The Bulldogs mounted a remarkable fightback in the final 20 minutes, with Marcelo Montoya, Alekolasimi Jones, and Jonathan Sua all crossing the try line. The margin was trimmed to six points with under five minutes to go, sending the Belmore crowd into a frenzy.
But for all the Bulldogs' courage and grit in the closing stages, the Magpies held firm, surviving a 36-30 victory
Talking Points
- Heath Mason was the star of the afternoon, helping himself to a double and constantly putting his side on the front foot with his footwork and support play.
- Alex Conti's absence in the second half proved critical. The 20-year-old was outstanding before leaving the field for a head injury assessment and not returning, with Canterbury's attacking flow diminishing noticeably in his absence. The Bulldogs will be sweating on his availability given Mitch Woods is also sidelined.
- Jock Madden was polished with both the boot and the ball, orchestrating the Magpies' attack. His 40/20 in the second half was a turning point that helped Western Suburbs seize control of proceedings.
Key Moment
With the score at 12-all and both teams reduced to 12 men following a double sin-binning, Saukuru crossed for his second try before Mason's half-time double-strike swung the match decisively in Western Suburbs' favour. The sequence of unanswered points to close out the first half ultimately proved the difference between the two sides.
What's Next?
The Bulldogs remain in fifth position but will need to bounce back in Round 21 when they host the Warriors. Western Suburbs Magpies, now one point outside the top five, travel to Canberra to face the Raiders as they look to continue their push for finals football.
