Western Suburbs Magpies have scored late to secure a 10-10 draw against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday morning to kick off the NSWRL Magic Round Weekend.
Despite fielding an extremely strong side flush with first-grade experience, Western Suburbs were held for most of the game by the Bulldogs before a late try to Elijah Taylor with less than a minute remaining secured a point for both sides.
Having not won now since Round 7, the Magpies will be looking to bounce back in to the winners circle when they face South Sydney next weekend.
The slow-paced game presented both sides with limited opportunities throughout the game, but it was the Bulldogs who quickly built a 10-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes as Michael Lichaa and Tuipulotu Katoa broke the Magpies defence.
Morgan Harper converted one of the two tries to give the Bulldogs a 10-0 lead at half-time, which looked destined to be cut to six before the break when David Nofoaluma snatched an intercept and raced away — only to be caught just short.
Paul Momirovski would eventually cross for Wests in the 60th minute when a left edge move put the centre over and Brett Hodgson's side back in the contest.
With all the ascendency and momentum on their side in the final parts of the match, Taylor's try under the posts with 20 seconds remaining would ensure that the Magpies would not walk away empty-handed from the contest with Momirovski adding the extras from in front after the siren to level the match at 10-10.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 10 (Lichaa, Katoa tries; Harper 1/2 goals) drew with Western Suburbs Magpies 10 (Momirovski, Taylor tries; Momirovski 1/2 goals) at Panthers Stadium
