Western Suburbs needed only five minutes to open the scoring, a break down the right sent back left by the Magpies for Sam Aiga to score under the posts. Dayne Craig added the relatively simple conversion for a 6-0 lead.
Burwood replied after ten minutes, a penalty setting up some
good field position, halfback James Coote showing nifty footwork to slice
through the Magpie line. David Atuau added the extras to knot the scores.
Burwood failed to complete their set from the restart,
putting the ball down on the third tackle. The ensuing scrum saw Wests set down
the left, returning the ball after the tackle, Jerome Mose too quick for the
cover defence. Craig struck a booming conversion, returning the black and
whites to their six point advantage on 14 minutes.
The natives were becoming restless and, after Ryan Jackson
reversed a Burwood penalty on the advice of his touchjudge, Anthony Bristow
stormed through the Burwood defence to show how it’s done. Craig made it three
from three to extend the Magpies’ lead to 18-6 at the quarter mark.
This time it was Wests’ turn to fail to complete after the
restart, James Livock atoning for the two shoulder charge penalties he gave
away earlier to emulate Bristow’s effort just a minute before. Atuau split the
uprights, Burwood back to within six.
Joe Uluibau’s frustrations boiled over after 25 minutes,
Ryan Jackson dispatching him to the sin bin. Wests nearly scored off the
ensuing set, but Dayne Craig had the ball dislodged over the line.
Burwood suddenly found themselves confronting a debacle, Joe
Flint dispatched for a shoulder charge, which incensed James Coote, Ryan
Jackson also sending the Burwood halfback for a spell, the home side facing a
seven minute period with just ten men.
The Magpies quickly took advantage Trent Jennings flying
away down the left, his kick infield touched down just inside the dead ball
line by Jerome Mose. Craig kept his 100% record intact, the Magpies taking a
24-12 lead into halftime with the final eight minutes of the first half
scoreless.
Burwood registered first points of the second half, David
Atuau sneaking through from dummy half close to the line to touch down. James
Coote added the extras, and Burwood were making a game of it at 24-18 after 48
minutes.
Burwood failed to capitalise on the chance they gave
themselves, as off their next set, Wests spread the ball wide, Tom Morrison
showing surprising speed to burst through the line and sell a dummy to Samiu
Latu before going in under the posts. Dayne Craig converted, and Wests again
had a 12 point advantage, this time 30-18.
Discipline was an issue for both sides, and a swinging arm
penalty against Burwood allowed Dayne Craig a chance to extend the Magpies
lead, which he did with ease, to 32-18 with 23 minutes remaining.
Wests continued to show plenty of initiative in possession,
Vieru Mapesone slicing through on the right side and scoring the Magpies’ sixth
of the day. Dayne Craig swung the conversion wide, though, the Magpies ahead
36-18 after an hour.
There was a sliver of
hope left for Burwood, as a looping pass found James Livock, the Burwood giant
bumping off an attempted tackle before shooting 50 metres in a surprisingly
quick run to score in the corner. James Coote’s conversion attempt barely got
off the ground, Wests ahead by 14 points with 12 minutes remaining.
With a little under 12 minutes remaining, Nu Akeripa and
John Kite were both dispatched for ten minutes, although nobody seemed to know
why, given the eventuating penalty went to Burwood for a high tackle.
Burwood weren’t done with, Blake Dunscombe diving over to
keep Burwood’s faint hopes alive. David Atuau swung the kick wide to leave
Burwood ten in arrears and, from the restart, Burwood again grounded the ball,
Ronnie Palumbo catching everyone off guard by playing the whistle, and sweeping
up the crumbs to go over untouched beneath the sticks, the score out to 42-26
as Trent Jennings slotted the goal with five minutes on the clock.
James Livock found himself in the limelight yet again with
three minutes remaining, this time for a late challenge on Vieru Mapesone, Fred
Tevago breaking his tryscoring duck in the final game of the regular season
adjacent to the uprights from the next set. Trent Jennings added the extras as
the bell sounded, Wests running out convincing 48-26 winners.
WESTERN SUBURBS 48 (Jerome Mose 2, Sam Aiga, Anthony Bristow,
Tom Morrison, Vieru Mapesone, Ronnie Palumbo, Fred Tevago tries; Dayne Craig 6
from 7, Trent Jennings 2 from 2) defeated BURWOOD 26 (James Livock 2, James
Coote, David Atuau, Blake Dunscombe tries; David Atuau 2 from 3, James Coote 1
from 2)
Penalties: Wests 10 Burwood 8
Halftime: Wests 24 Burwood 12
WESTERN SUBURBS
1. Sam Aiga
2. Tala Mapasone
3. Sione Alofi
6. Trent Jennings
5. Jerome Mose
4. Nu Akeripa
7. Vieru Mapasone
8. Soni Paasi
9. Dayne Craig
17. Fred Tevago
11. Tom Morrison
12. Rusty Bristow
13. Luke Williams
10. Tunui Maurangi
16. Ronnie Palumbo
20. Andrew Vela
22. Cruise Iosefa
BURWOOD
1. Samiu Latu
12. Kava Utoikamanu
23. Joe Uluibau
25. Rory Brownlie
5. Mitch Henderson
15. Scott Williams
7. James Coote
17. John Kite
9. David Atuau
20. Kilifi Tia-Kilifi
10. James Livock
16. Ilija Radan
13. Joe Flint
8. Brendan Tarrant
18. Jayson Gerecs
21. Mitch Devine
24. Blake Dunscombe
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