A hat-trick from flying fullback Alex Lobb and a double to powerhouse winger Izaac Tu’itupou have propelled the Western Suburbs Magpies to an impressive 28-14 victory over the Sydney Roosters on Saturday afternoon at Lidcombe Oval.
Match: Magpies v Roosters
Round 17 -
home Team
Magpies
8th Position
away Team
Roosters
6th Position
Venue: Lidcombe Oval, Sydney
In what was a must-win fixture for the Magpies, the home side hit the front early and never looked back, overcoming some spirited Roosters resistance to seal a much-needed two points.
It was Tu’itupou who got the scoreboard ticking in the 11th minute, capitalising on a Wests bomb to cross after the Magpies had absorbed plenty of early pressure at the other end. His effort was the reward for some patient build-up and smart kicking from skipper Kurt Falls.
The Roosters levelled the ledger midway through the half through William Malloy, a late call-up from Jersey Flegg who finished a play down the left edge to make it 6-4. But the Magpies regained control before the break, with Lobb soaring high to claim a Falls cross-field bomb and score his first in the 35th minute.
Lobb made it a double just after the break, latching onto a slick chain of passes from Charlie Murray and Falls to extend the Magpies' lead to 16-6. The Roosters hit back quickly through Ethan King, but Wests immediately responded in kind.
A rampaging Royce Hunt bulldozed his way through the middle before sending Lobb over for his third try in just 16 minutes of game time, a well-deserved hat-trick for the in-form fullback.
The match was all but sealed in the 62nd minute, when Tu’itupou showed great awareness to toe through a loose ball and score his second of the day (and eleventh for the season), putting Wests up by 18 with less than 20 minutes remaining.
The Roosters grabbed a late consolation through a spectacular solo effort from Ben Johnson, who kicked twice in the one movement to score a remarkable try in the 69th minute. But the final say belonged to the Magpies, who played with energy, physicality, and composure throughout.
With key contributions across the park, including strong service from Joe Lovodua, relentless runs from Peter Taateo, and the steady hands of Falls in the halves, the Magpies bounced back in style on home turf and will take plenty of confidence into next week’s clash against the Raiders in Canberra.
Magpies 28 (Lobb 3, Tu'itupou 2 tries; Falls 4/5 goals) defeated Roosters 14 (Malloy, King, Johnson tries; Townsend 1/3 goals) at Lidcombe Oval.
