LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
In the NSW Cup Round 17, the Western Suburbs Magpies secured a strong 28-14 victory against the Sydney Roosters at Lidcombe Oval, led by a standout performance from fullback Alex Lobb, who scored a hat-trick, and winger Izaac Tu'itupou, who added two tries to the tally.
The match began with Tu'itupou putting the Magpies on the scoreboard in the 11th minute after capitalizing on a Wests bomb, following a period of impressive defense against early Roosters pressure.
Tu'itupou's effort was the result of "some patient build-up and smart kicking from skipper Kurt Falls." The Roosters equalized soon after with William Malloy scoring in the 20th minute, making it 6-4.
Before halftime, Lobb showcased his aerial prowess, catching Falls' cross-field bomb to score the first of his tries in the 35th minute, giving the Magpies a 10-4 lead.
Just after the break, he struck again, connecting with a slick series of passes from Charlie Murray and Falls to extend the Magpies' lead to 16-6.
However, the Roosters quickly responded with a try from Ethan King.
The Magpies' momentum picked up again as Royce Hunt powered through the middle and assisted Lobb in scoring his third try in just 16 minutes.
This impressive feat secured Lobb's well-deserved hat-trick.
The match was practically decided in the 62nd minute when Tu'itupou displayed great awareness by toeing through a loose ball to score his second try and bring his season total to eleven, pushing Wests ahead by 18 points with less than 20 minutes left.
Overall, the Magpies demonstrated strong teamwork and resilience to clinch a decisive victory over the Roosters.