It proved an afternoon to forget for Willie Talau’s Dragons at Croome Sporting Complex with the side falling 42-8.
The Red V were dealt a number of blows with Nathan Lawson, Hame Sele, and Isaiah Fagalilo all failing to finish the match.
The first half proved a tight one before the floodgates opened for the Magpies as they stormed towards a key win.
Match: Dragons v Magpies
Round 18 -
home Team
Dragons
11th Position
away Team
Magpies
7th Position
Venue: Croome Road Sporting Complex, Croom
The Dragons got off to a tough start with a botched kick defusal gifting Western Suburbs centre Fiohiva Siale Fainga’a first points.
The hosts were able to hit back through David Fale 25 minutes in with the right winger taking in a Tyler Peckham-Harris cut-out and somersaulting his way over in the corner.
The Magpies notched a key try a half hour in with halves Latu Fainu and Javon Andrews linking up to send the latter over and make it 12-4.
Undeterred, the Dragons found a hit-back just shy of the break with Christian Tuipulotu powering his way over in the left-hand corner.
The first points of the second forty belonged to Western Suburbs with Heath Mason shooting through to win the race to a well placed chip kick.
The visiting side extended their lead the next set with Fainu winning the race to his own grubber to push the lead out to 24-8.
Any hopes of a Dragons fightback were quashed with 15 minutes to play as Junior Tupou went over in the left-hand corner off the back of a Faaletino Tavana intercept.
Solomone Saukuru and Mavrik Geyer went over for the Magpies late to seal a comprehensive win and make the Dragons’ postseason path murkier.
