Points aplenty as Raiders edge past Bulldogs
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The Raiders held off a fast-finishing Bulldogs side in a 64-point thriller to open Magic Round on Friday night, coming out 34-30 winners to secure their fourth win on the trot.
Tries from Jordan Rapana early in each half helped the Raiders, while lock Corey Horsburgh put in another powerful performance which included 174 run metres and four tackle breaks.
Up by 10 with four minutes to play, the Raiders had to endure a nervous finish when the Bulldogs were awarded a penalty try after Hayze Perham was tackled off the ball metres from the line, but held on to secure their fourth win in a row.
The first half saw action aplenty at both ends, with seven tries scored in an opening 40 minutes in which the Raiders took a 22-18 lead into the sheds.
Jordan Rapana scored on the opening set, with Xavier Savage, Matthew Timoko and Hudson Young adding further tries for the Green Machine, and a Jacob Preston double all that kept the Bulldogs in the contest.
Timoko makes it look easy
With the game hanging in the balance at half-time, Rapana grabbed his second four minutes into the second stanza, before Jarrod Croker's effort on 57 minutes, which he also converted, put them up 32-18.
Matt Burton gave the Dogs a sniff with 18 minutes to go, when he unleashed a monster bomb which went unclaimed before Jacob Kiraz grabbed the scraps and offloaded to Jake Averillo who grabbed his second.
Burton's bomb brings points
A Jarrod Croker penalty gave some breathing room, before the penalty try set up a tense finish, which ended when Rapana fielded a towering Burton bomb with seconds left on the clock.
Match: Bulldogs v Raiders
Round 10 -
home Team
Bulldogs
15th Position
away Team
Raiders
11th Position
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Match Snapshot
- The Raiders have now won four wins on the trot to jump inside the Telstra Premiership top eight.
- Tevita Pangai Junior was sent for a HIA in the 60th minute which he passed, while Sebastian Kris was taken from the field in the final minute for a HIA.
- Canberra centre Matthew Timoko led the way with ball in hand, running for a game-high 200 metres in addition to scoring a try.
- The Bulldogs have now lost all four of their Magic Round games since 2019.
- The Raiders have won seven games in a row against the Bulldogs.
- Canterbury-Bankstown are without a win at Suncorp Stadium since 2015.
Play of the Game
A lovely piece of skill from Jack Wighton to help Xavier Savage celebrate his NRL return with a try. The four-pointer summed up the free-flowing attack Canberra built their first-half performance on.
Savage try from the Raiders
What They Said
"I thought the scoreboard flattered us. The fact that we still had a chance to win it at the end there, probably we didn't deserve that. I thought the Raiders were a much better side to us, they outcompeted us in every area. Really disappointed." – Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo.
Bulldogs: Round 10
"It has happened three weeks in a row. We are becoming quite experienced at it, which I don't want to be. Your life changes when that 80-minute hooter goes. Respectfully, I thought we were the far better team tonight." – Raiders coach Ricky Stuart.
Raiders: Round 10
What's Next
Both sides are at home next week, with the Bulldogs taking on the Warriors for the second time this year on Friday night and the Raiders hosting the Eels on Saturday.
