The full moon was out and it was the dogs that were howling after 5 minutes when backrower Josh Gill crossed the line near the posts after good lead up out wide by the Bulldgos backline. Goodwin converted for a 6-0 scoreline.
Wests lock and tackling dynamo, Tom Morrison suffered concussion after going in awkwardly in a tackle at around the 10 minute mark and took no further part in the game after being assisted from the field of play.
The Bulldogs scored again at the 13 minute mark when front rower, Jake Finn simply smashed his way through some ordinary attempted tackles on Wests 20m line to score close to the posts. Goodwin made no mistake with the extras for a 12-0 scoreline.
Josh Gill set up the dogs next try at the 16 minute mark when he burst through more flimsy defence on halfway before offloading to rookie fullback Gerard McCallum who raced away to score. With Goodwin adding the extras, it was a point a minute at this stage, dogs up 18-0.
Wests were then able to get some possession and were rewarded with a try to Tuki Jackson at the 23rd minute mark after halfback Trent Touma sliced through the Bulldogs defence near their 20m line before passing to Jackson who scored near the posts. Touma added the extras and it was 18-6.
Wests were in again four minutes later on the back of a 40/20 kick from Nigel Millgate, when Tuki Jackson was able to beat the defence on an angled run before straightening and scoring beside the posts. With Touma adding the extras, it was 18-12 to the dogs.
Then as has happened often this season, the Magpies coughed up possession after winning a scrum and then compounded the error by giving away a penalty which result in Shane Pumipi scoring the first of his three tries when he burrowed his way from dummy half over the tryline at the 33rd minute mark. Goodwin was on target and the dogs extended their lead to 24-12.
The dogs scored again at the 36th minute mark when a cross field bomb on the last tackle by Trent Cutler as caught by former Canberra winger, Drury Low who then was able wrestle his way out of his opponent's attempted tackle to score out wide. Goodwin converted for a 30-12 scoreline which remained the score at halftime.
Besides loosing Tom Morrison early, the Magpies also suffered when big front rower, Seffa Silafau sustained a leg injury midway through the first half and although he did return for the second half, was hampered for the rest of the game by the injury.
Wests showed in the first half that with a bit of possession, they could hold their own in attack but poor defence resulted in some soft tries to the dogs and that was how it started in the second half when just three minutes in, replacement Kose Lelei just crashed through some poor defence and ran 30m to score near the sticks. Goodwin's conversion made it 36-12.
Wests then received piggyback penalites at the 48 minute mark near the dogs 20m line and scored after a loose ball was scooped up and given to fullback Zoram Watene who grubber kicked in behind the dogs defence and with no one home, dived on the ball in the ingoal area. Touma converted and it was 36-18.
The dogs extinguished any thoughts of a revival when Low scored his second try at the 57 minute mark when he jinked and stepped inside the defence to score. Goodwin was on target and it was 42-18.
Shane Pumipi score back to back tries at the 63rd and 65th minute mark when he was able to bust the defence each time from Wests 20m line. Both tries were converted and it was 54-18 in the blink of an eye and the dogs wrapped it up three minutes from fulltime when Luke McDougall scored out wide after a bulldozing run by Steve Azzi near halfway. Goodwin hit the upright with his conversion attempt from the sideline for his only miss of the night and for a final scoreline of Canterbury 58 Wests 18.
For the Magpies, their best included Nigel Millgate who seems to have found a new home in the number 9 jersey and halfback Trent Touma has slotted back into the side with ease and both of them were heavily involved in Wests attacking raids. Tuki Jackson as always proved a handful when with the ball and even with a leg injury, Seffa Silafau was constantly making the hard metres up the middle. Daniel La Manna continues to make his mark with his defensive workload and as usual, Zoram Watene was scheming from the fullback position.
For Canterbury, Trent Culter just toyed with the Magpies. Whilst he didn't score any points, he was forever causing Wests headaches in defence with his uncanny ability to bounce off tacklers, stand in tackles and off load plus a magnificant passing and kicking game. His halves partner, Chad Isles continues his impressive rookie season and it seems the dogs have unearthed another fine five/eighth/halfback. The forward pack was led by Josh Gill, Jake Finn and Tim Browne whilst replacements Ray Moujalli and Steven Azzi hit the line running and left a few defenders feeling a little sore after the game. Shane Pumipi was also a standout making ground from dummy half with ease and scoring three easy tries.
For Wests, they travel back to Campbelltown Stadium next saturday where they face a Windsor side looking to bounce back after their surprise loss last week to Mounties and a shot at the minor premiership.
Canterbury 58 (Pumipi 3, Low 2, Finn, Gill, McCallum, Lelei, McDougall tries: Goodwin 9 goals) def Wests 18 (Jackson 2, Watene tries: Toumda 3 goals).
Halftime - Canterbury 30 Wests 12
Scrums - Wests 10 Canterbury 5
Penalties - Wests 6 Canterbury 6
Goalkickers - Bryson Goodwin 9/10, Trent Touma 3/3
1 Gerard McCallum
2 Drury Low
3 Brett Lane
4 Luke McDougall
5 Bryson Goodwin
6 Chad Isles
7 Trent Cutler
8 Tim Browne
9 Shane Pumipi
10 Jake Finn
11 Josh Gill
12 Jake Foster
13 James Gavet
14 Ray Moujalli
15 Kose Lelei16 Steve Azzi
17 Junior Roquica
Wests
1 Zoram Watene
2 Amanono Tovio
3 Keanu Rogers
4 Greg Davis
5 Tarrant Mariner
17 Michael La Manna
7 Trent Touma
8 Seffa Silfau
9 Nigel Millgate
10 Latu Fifita
11 Michael Lekkas
12 Daniel La Manna
13 Tom Morrison
6 Henry Godinet
15 Todd Makejev
20 Sione Fakuhau
21 Tuki Jackson
