Campbelltown Stadium resembled a hospital ward as Western Suburbs triumphed 18-16 in a classic over the Auburn Warriors at Campbelltown Stadium last Saturday.
Auburn placed early pressure on the Magpies and struck first after four minutes, a looping long ball finding Aaron Pene on the chest, who had too much speed for Nu Akeripa, to touch down in the corner. Arthur Little split the uprights from ten in from touch for a 6-0 lead.
Wests looked to hit back and Dayne Craig was held up over the line after a dummy half run after 13 minutes. The Magpies spread the ball from the ensuing play. However, Warriors winger Pene swooped on the intercept and raced 95 metres, beating a desperate Tom Satterthwaite, to touch down. Arthur Little’s kick, from an almost identical position to his first, was not nearly as good, the Warriors ahead 10-0.
Wests again sought to set up for a wide spread, this time to the left, and Auburn were left wanting badly, the Magpies using a 4-1 overlap to send Rusty Bristow in under the posts. Dayne Craig duly converted, the Magpies back to within four at the halfway point of the first half.
A one on one steal gave Auburn a chance to march downfield, the Magpies setting up well to defend their line, but Hala Akauola proved too strong, powering over next to the posts. Little’s conversion made it 16-6 to Auburn after 25 minutes.
Auburn started to look brittle in defence and Wests were finding territory by moving the ball wide, and almost came up trumps five minutes before the break, but a Sam Aiga kick was cleaned up and returned by Sione Kavieleta inches into the field of play.
Wests would not be denied though, and in the shadows of halftime a Jack Madden bomb was put down by the Warriors, Nu Akeripa scooting through to clean up the crumbs and touch down. Sam Aiga converted, while Dayne Craig took a break, and Wests went in trailing 16-12 at halftime.
A physical start to the second half saw three players needing attention, and Auburn decided to try going behind Wests rather than through them, but Matt Utai was unable to gather an Arthur Little grubber behind the line due to heavy Magpie cover defence.
Tensions were starting to boil over as Wests matched the Auburn physicality, and a dropped ball on halfway gave Wests a chance to set up some attacking options, but it was a simple dummy half surge from Nu Akeripa which tied the scores. Dayne Craig slotted the kick and the Magpies led for the first time, 18-16 halfway through the second stanza.
Players were going down everywhere and disaster nearly struck for the black and whites after they dropped the ball off a scrum win 10 metres from their own line, but the defence held firm in the face of enormous Auburn pressure with ten minutes remaining.
Auburn were at it again three minutes later, a grubber from Little ricocheting, both sides fumbling at a ball which lay tantalisingly in the Wests in goal.
The crowd was on tenterhooks as Auburn broke the Magpie line in the final minute, a left spread not enough to find a way through the line, the Magpies holding on for an epic 18-16 victory in what was easily the game of the year so far in the Ron Massey Cup.
WESTERN SUBURBS 18 (Nu Akeripa 2, Rusty Bristow tries; Dayne Craig 2 from 2, Sam Aiga 1 from 1) defeated AUBURN 16 (Aaron Pene 2, Hala Akauola tries; Arthur Little 2 from 3)
Penalties: Wests 10 Auburn 7
Halftime: Wests 12 Auburn 16
Western Suburbs
1. Sam Aiga
25. Daniel Abou-Sleiman
3. Rusty Bristow
4. Nu Akeripa
2. Tom Satterthwaite
6. Jacob Folent
7. Jack Madden
21. Sam Hollis
9. Dayne Craig
10. Tunui Maurangi
11. Mason Talolua
12. Shane Lalogafau
19. Andy Fiagatusa
8. Jarrad Szczudlo
13. Sonny Bristow
17. Luke Williams
20. Tom Morrison
Auburn
1. Matt Utai
21. Aaron Pene
3. Heka Nanai
17. Joeli Tuvitu
4. Sione Kaiveleta
23. Matt Halalilo
7. Arthur Little
8. Sione Tovo
9. Luke Ferry
15. Tupou Iongi
11. George Tsikrikas
22. Wilson Faanoi
13. Joe Mua
14. Jordan Bowles
16. Hala Akauola
19. Jordan Hall
24. Damien Taufaao
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