A hat-trick to Nu Akeripa and doubles to Junior Vaivai and Rusty Bristow underscored Wests' thumping 48-16 victory over Blacktown last weekend at Campbelltown.
Wests opened the scoring after just three minutes with Michael Stevens leading a left side raid and Junior Vaivai touching down. Dayne Craig’s Thurston-esque conversion split the uprights, the Magpies up 6-0.
Blacktown hit back just on ten minutes with a left raid of their own, Jerry Key breaking through the line and stepping Daniel Abou-Sleiman on his way to the posts. Akerupa Tia Kilifi added the extras from in front, to lock the game up.
A series of strong runs left Blacktown’s right side defence vulnerable, and Nu Akeripa showed wonderful footwork for a big man to step inside and outpace the cover defence. Dayne Craig’s conversion, after 18 minutes, put Wests up by six.
A one on one strip by Blacktown was regathered by Dayne Craig, and three tackles later Michael Stevens’ grubber in behind a compressed Workers line allowed Tala Mapesone to register his second of the year. Craig’s conversion was pushed wide, the Magpies with a 10 point break with 15 to the break.
Blacktown found space through the ruck and got a second set after their last kick was touched by Wests, but Jake Shearer’s attempt to touch down was lost in goal with 11 minutes left in the first half.
The Magpie’s left hand attack has been threatening all year, and they sprung into action with nine minutes remaining in the first, with a sweeping movement finding Jerome Mose at the end of it. Dayne Craig produced a dead set party trick to convert for a 22-6 lead.
Two minutes left to halftime and Daniel Abou-Sleiman showed deft footwork to just blow Blacktown away before finding Junior Vaivai, who went over for his second. Dayne Craig added the extras to send Wests into the sheds with a commanding 28-6 advantage.
Blacktown needed to start the secnd half well and did so, courtesy of a series of offloads, as Pat Weisner’s kick to the ingoal found Regan Haika steaming in. Akerupa Tia Kilifi shanked the conversion wide though, Wests ahead 28-10 after four minutes in the second stanza.
Wests escaped as a Blacktown bomb went to ground and almost went coast to coast on 55 minutes as a series of long passes ended up in the hands of Jerome Mose, but Blacktown’s cover defence put Mose into touch, despite the protestations of the boisertous Magpie fans right in front of the play.
Wests weren’t letting up and almost snuck through at dummy half three minutes later, but Blacktown’s markers recovered to dislodge the ball from Dayne Craig’s grasp.
Wests eemed to be paying attention to the Melbourne Storm playbook, but instead of Smith-Cronk-Slater, it was Craig-Sultana-Abou-Sleiman, with Michael Stevens in support being dragged down five metres out. From the play the ball, Nu Akeripa firced his way in, and Dayne Craig’s conversion left Wests 34-12 up after 62 minutes.
Blacktown needed something special, and a chip kick from Pat Weisner ended up in Akerupa Tia Kilifi’s arms, Tia Kilifi touching down for a converted try, to reduce the margin to 18 with 11 minutes to play.
Nu Akeripa powered his way over for a try with eight minutes to go before Rusty Bristow nothced one with sheer strength. Michael Stevens missed with both conversion attempts, the Magpies 42-16 ahead with two to go.
But Wests weren’t done, Rusty Bristow turning it on for his second in the final minute. Stevens converted for a final score of 48-16.
For Wests, Nu Akeripa, Michael Stevens and Fred Tevago were the leaders, while for Blacktown, Jerry Key, Pat Weisner and Jake Attard were their top performers.
WESTERN SUBURBS 48 (Nu Akeripa 3,Junior Vaivai 2, Rusty Bristow 2, Tala Mapesone, Jerome Mose tries; Dayne Craig 5 from 6, Mchael Stevens 0 from 1) def BLACKTOWN 16 (Jerry Key, Regan Haika, Akerupa Tia Kilifi tries; Akerupa Tia Kilifi 2 from 3)
Halftime: Wests 28 Blacktown 6
Penalties: Wests 6 Blacktown 6
WESTERN SUBURBS
1. Daniel Abou Slieman
2. Tala Mapasone
6. Junior Vai Vai
4. Sam Aiga
5. Jerome Mose
15. Micheal Stevens
7. Andrew Sultana
8. Tunui Maurangi
9. Dayne Craig
10. Soni Paasi
3. Rusty Bristow
11. Nu Akeripa
22. Andy Fiagatusa
12. Francis Laulu
13. Ronnie Palumbo
17. Dwayne Lemafa
18. Fred Tevago
BLACKTOWN
1. Charlie Latulipe
19. Dan Smith
3. Regan Haika
4. Akerupa Tia Kalifi
5. John Taaga
6. Pat Weisner
7. Joel Jasmin
8. Jordon Strickland
9. Gus Jasmin
10. Lupati Eni
11. Jake Shearer ©
12. Jerry Key
13. Nafoa Leopai
15. Yahia Masri
17. Stuart Mcdonald
18. Taviuni Mariota
25. Jake Attard
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