NSW Cup round 16: Dragons defeat Wests Magpies 38-18 in Collegians clash

Wests Magpies narrow deficit but fall to Dragons in NSW Cup round 16

The Wests Magpies fell to a 38-18 defeat against the St. George Illawarra Dragons in Round 16 of the NSW Cup at Collegians Sporting Complex. After trailing 20-6 at halftime, the Magpies reduced the gap to two points midway through the second half but were ultimately unable to overcome the deficit.

The Dragons took early control of the match with tries from outside backs Sione Finau, Tyrell Sloan, and Nathan Lawson, establishing a 16-0 lead in the opening 16 minutes. Cody Ramsey delivered a highlight moment with a flick pass setting up Sloan for his second try of the afternoon.


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Tristan Hope got the Magpies on the board before halftime with a quick tap-and-go from close range, narrowing the score to 20-6 by the break.

The Magpies came out strong in the second half. Izaac Tu’itupou crossed in the corner, and Kurt Falls converted to cut the lead to 20-12. Minutes later, Hope set up Tony Sukkar for another try, with Falls adding the extras to bring the score to 20-18.

Dragons secure NSW Cup victory with late tries and defensive pressure

Despite the comeback effort, Wests Magpies lost momentum after an error off the ensuing kickoff. That mistake allowed Connor Muhleisen to cross the line for the Dragons, extending the lead to 26-18. Emre Guler then powered through the defense to score, pushing the margin further out of reach.

Nathan Lawson sealed the result with his second try of the game, and Jonah Glover’s successful conversion finalized the 38-18 scoreline.

For the Dragons, Sloan and Lawson each finished with two tries. Finau, Muhleisen, and Guler also contributed to the scoring. Glover converted five of seven attempts. The Magpies’ tries came from Hope, Tu’itupou, and Sukkar, all converted by Falls.

The win solidifies the Dragons’ position in the NSW Cup standings, while the Wests Magpies will look to regroup ahead of the next round.