Pathways Hub - Week 2

The Wests Magpies SG Ball Cup team have fallen to a 24-10 defeat to the Bulldogs in Round 2 at Hammondville Oval.

The visitors trailed 6-4 at half-time and were unable to run down a strong Dogs side in the second period.

After a lengthy delay due to an injury to a Magpies player, the Bulldogs scored first in the corner, with the conversion giving the blue and whites a 6-0 lead.

A beautifully weighted pass from Pheonix Godinet then put Kurtis Dupond over, to bring the Magpies within two points after 20 minutes.

The Bulldogs held a 6-4 lead into the break and went on to score just two minutes into the second half through Azariah Toki-Mautairi to extend their lead.

An outstanding try from the home side, straight through the middle of the field brought the scoreline out to 18-4, before Magpies five-eighth, Junior Fagalele dummied and pushed his way through to grab a four-pointer on his club debut.

With a player in the bin, the Bulldogs opted to take a penalty goal to give themselves a 20-10 lead and big winger, Jope Rauqe then leaped high and came down with the ball to score their fourth of the day.

Rauqe’s try was the final try of the afternoon, with the Bulldogs emerging victorious, 24 points to 10.

UNE SG Ball Cup (Under 19s) - Balmain Tigers

The Balmain Tigers SG Ball Cup team remains unbeaten in 2025, scoring their second win in as many weeks after coming away with a 32-26 win over the Dragons in Round 2.

A breathtaking performance from fullback, Logan Brookes, sent the Tigers on their way to victory as the new signing continues to impress since joining the club this season.

The Dragons shot out to a 10-0 lead after 17 minutes through tries to Antonio Okusitino and Xavier Kirk, with the latter try incredibly coming directly from the kick-off to restart play.

Despite those worrying signs, Balmain displayed toughness to remain in the contest and were rewarded when back-rower, Will Stone crashed his way over for his second try in as many weeks.

An incredible individual try to Logan Brookes followed shortly after, with the fullback breaking countless tackles and showing electric footwork to score a 65 m solo classic.

Jared Haywood’s spiralling cutout ball then put Joseph Partch over in the corner to give the Tigers a 16-10 lead, which they maintained until half-time.

Haywood went from provider to scorer in the 39th minute, as the hooker darted his way over, but it wasn’t long before Brookes was at it again.

The dynamic No.1 leapt through the air to gather a Marc Tannous bomb and score his second of the afternoon.

Brookes didn’t have to wait long to secure his hat-trick either, as he stepped off his left foot to give Balmain their sixth four-pointer of the match.

The Dragons did threaten a late fight-back after Okusitino collected two more late scores, book-ended by Zachariah Nachar’s 62nd-minute try, however Balmain held on for a 32-26 win at Lidcombe.

Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s) - Wests Tigers 

Wests Tigers’ Tarsha Gale Cup team have scored a 34-0 win over the Raiders at Kirkham Oval in Round 2.

After scraping home for a victory last weekend, the U/19’s Wests Tigers girls were dominant on their way to maintaining their unbeaten start to the season.

Tiresa Leasuasu has been an impressive performer during the opening two rounds of the campaign and the powerful middle forward crashed over for the first points of the match after just four minutes.

Leasuasu grabbed a second try in similar fashion shortly after, before some impressive play from Modesty Tafeuni sent Elenoa Namua over in the corner for Wests Tigers’ third of the day.

Leading 14-0 at the break, the home side then shot out of the blocks in the second period, scoring just 30 seconds into the half. A Canberra error led to Sienna-Mae Montgomery putting Tafeuni through a gap, where she raced away for a try of her own.

Co-captain, Evie McGrath then sent Chaela-Lee Falls crashing over in the corner and impressive youngster, Ellie Barnett went on to dart her way over from dummy half after 52 minutes.

Olivia Saley scored a simple hooker’s try late on to wrap up a clinical result for Wests Tigers, coming away with a 34-0 victory over Canberra in Round 2.

SLE Laurie Daley Cup (Under 18s) - Macarthur Wests Tigers 

The Macarthur Wests Tigers Laurie Daley Cup team has recorded a dominant 38-0 win over Riverina to kick off the 2025 season.

Impressive in both attack and defence, the centre pairing of Glassie Glassie and Will Jenkins were standouts over the course of the day’s play.

Glassie set winger, Tyler Volcov up for Macarthur’s first try after 9 minutes and it didn’t take long for the centre to score one of his own when he pushed his way through to give the home side a 10-0 lead.

Powerful lock-forward, Lorima Cosgrave proved too hard to handle for the Riverina defence when he crashed over to extend the Wests Tigers lead out to 16-0, which they maintained until half-time.

Dynamic fullback, Aaron Paea powered to the line to grab the first try of the second half to further Macarthur’s dominance as their points tally began to stack up.

Jenkins showcased sheer strength to bulldoze through defenders for his 57th minute effort, and when he raced through the line for his second of the afternoon, the result was beyond doubt.

Tyson Walker showcased impressive footwork in scoring the final try of the day, with Macarthur Wests Tigers ultimately coming away with a 38-0 win on Sunday.

UNE Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s) - Western Suburbs Magpies 

The Harold Matthews Cup Magpies have scored their second win in as many games to begin the 2025 season, after defeating the Bulldogs 34-18 in Round 2.

Wests held a 22-12 lead at half-time and didn’t take their foot off the accelerator in the second stanza, with halfback, Curtis Lakeman and winger, Josh Vella proving to be particular standouts in the impressive win.

An early Magpies error in attempting to defuse a high ball led to the Bulldogs scoring in the very first set of the match through captain, Chinedu Udeh.

An outstanding Magpies try brought the game level shortly after though, as Lakeman grubbered through the line, with Vella soccering the ball back to his halfback, who regathered to score under the posts.

It was Lakeman and Vella combining again in the 10th minute to grab the Magpies’ second, with the speedy winger brilliantly leaping through the air to snatch the No. 7’s kick and plant the ball down.

Vella scored his second of the morning to extend the Western Suburbs lead when he finished off a nicely executed scrum-base play, started by Lakeman and fullback, Tom Goodfield.

Front-rower, Jake Gaffney scored his fifth try in just two weeks shortly after entering the action, however the Bulldogs hit back shortly before half-time to keep the match within reach at 22-12.

Elijah Sefo collected a loose ball that went backwards through the hands of Vella to reassert the Magpies’ dominance on the contest shortly after the break, and powerful winger, James Lanyon scored out of dummy-half to extend the Magpies’ winning margin out even further.

A late converted try to Bulldogs prop, Dallis Taoai and a penalty goal via the boot of Vella would be the final scoring of the morning’s play, with Wests emerging victorious, 34-18 at Hammondville Oval.

UNE Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s) - Balmain Tigers

The Balmain Tigers Harold Matthews Cup team has gone down to a narrow 14-10 defeat to the Dragons in Round 2 at Lidcombe Oval.

Trailing 14-0 at half-time, Balmain were much improved in the second period, however were unable to run-down the visitors.

The Tigers displayed quality goal-line defence to hold St. George out early, however the Dragons were first to score through second-rower, Lino Tamaseu.

The away team’s other edge forward, Jaeden Kavana then crashed over to further their lead and when Jack Lambert finished off a left-side raid on the stroke of half-time, it meant Balmain had it all to do in the second stanza.

Down 14-0 at the break, the Tigers had to score first after the resumption of play, and they did so through electric five-eighth, Izaac Mascarenas.

The No. 6 stepped his way through to put Balmain on the board and when fiery winger, Braidyn Wood scooped up a loose ball and planted it down after 53 minutes, the Tigers were back in it.

Despite their best efforts though, Balmain were unable to conjure up a third try in their improved second half, with St. George coming away with a 14-10 victory.

Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s) - Wests Tigers 

The Wests Tigers Lisa Fiaola Cup team has bounced back from Round 1’s defeat in style, scoring a clinical 40-6 win over the Raiders at Kirkham Oval.

The home side was extremely impressive for the entirety of the match, with Canberra unable to match their fluent attack and rock-solid defence.

Wests Tigers showed impressive signs early too, with fullback, Khiarna Munro displaying impressive patience to hold the ball up for winger, Isabel McMenemy to score in the corner.

Frankie Cappello levelled proceedings for the visitors after 15 minutes, before the Wests Tigers lengthy flow of points began.

Front-rower, Alavina Tu’ifua crashed through the Raiders defence for a try, with Munro then grabbing one of her own, with the No. 1 lurking on the short-side from a scrum to score a well-executed set play.

That try gave Wests Tigers an 18-0 lead at the break and they didn’t let up in the second period.

The crispness of their passing was on full display for Lilea Seville’s 33rd-minute try, with a number of the backline players involved in the move opting to distribute the ball when they had opportunities to reach out for four-pointers themselves.

Munro’s class shone through again, as the fullback had her hands all over Naomi Cowley’s 44th-minute effort, and Dawn Tui darted over from dummy half to extend the Wests Tigers lead out to 34-6.

An outstanding solo effort to co-captain, Sienna Robertson was a fitting way to cap off a dominant victory for Wests Tigers, as they emerged 40-6 winners at Kirkham Oval.

SLE Andrew Johns Cup (Under 16s) -  Macarthur Wests Tigers

Macarthur Wests Tigers’ Andrew Johns Cup team have come away with a 26-12 win over the Riverina Bulls to open their 2025 campaign.

Leading 20-0 at half-time, Wests Tigers held off a second-half fightback from the visitors to ensure they kicked off their season with a victory at Kirkham Oval, Camden.

It was the home side who posted first points through a beautifully worked play from one side of the field to the other, as Cooper Butler finished the move off in the corner. 

Impressive five-eighth, Terowie Golding-Lyons grabbed Macarthur Wests Tigers’ second, as he hit the line at speed from close range to make it a 10-0 lead.

Golding-Lyons only had to wait two minutes to collect his second try after he backed up a Sam Francis line-break to score under the posts and Llanden Granger’s dart from dummy half meant Macarthur led 20-0 at half-time.

Nate Breust was the first to cross after half-time to keep Riverina in the match and they gave Macarthur a scare in the 53rd minute when Archie Webb scored to make it 20-12.

Sebastian Taylor wrapped up the result for Wests Tigers late on though, with the impressive winger racing 65 m to secure the match-sealing four-pointer.