It was a tough afternoon for the Western Suburbs Magpies, who fell to a 40-16 defeat at the hands of a sharp Penrith Panthers outfit at Scully Park. The scoreboard tells a harsh story, but there were moments of grit and flair that reminded fans of the fight still alive in the Magpies’ ranks.
Penrith struck early through Jesse McLean, capitalising on a well-executed long ball from Trent Toelau. They added to their tally midway through the first half and again just before the break, taking an 18-0 lead into the sheds.
But the Magpies didn’t roll over. Emerging from the break with renewed intent, they hit back swiftly. Kurt Falls unleashed a beauty of a cut-out pass to Krystian Mapapalangi, who muscled his way over to get the black and white on the board.
Despite Penrith's quick reply, the Magpies kept fighting. A moment of brilliance saw Mapapalangi create something from nothing—chipping over the defence, chasing it down, and planting it in the corner. When Noah Johannssen crashed over shortly after, momentum finally felt like it was swinging the Magpies' way.
Unfortunately, Penrith were too clinical when it mattered most. A couple of late tries stretched the final margin, but the Magpies had certainly rattled the Panthers for patches of the game.
Krystian Mapapalangi stood tall, scoring twice—one off a clever pass and another through pure individual brilliance.
The Magpies' ability to fight back with back-to-back tries showed they’re more than capable of troubling top sides when they click.
Noah Johannssen's powerful finish highlighted the strength up front that the side can build on.
At 30-16 and with the Magpies threatening a comeback, a line break from Penrith’s David Fale and an offload to Sione Fonua snuffed out hopes of a dramatic turnaround. It was a bitter blow in a game where the Magpies showed patches of real promise.
The Magpies won’t have time to dwell, with a big opportunity to bounce back next week against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. It’s the perfect stage to reignite the spirit and reward the faithful who keep turning up in black and white.
