Sunday footy: Raiders v Dragons; Knights v Wests Tigers

Twin turbos: Yet again it was Toby and Ryan Couchman showing the way for the Dragons with 17 runs and 169 metres between them. They also came up with a combined 50 tackles, while Toby's scramble denied Ethan Strange a try.

Sloan sizzles: Just one player racked up more than 100 run metres in the first half and that was Red V flyer Tyrell Sloan. The winger scooted 70 metres to score the game's opening try and was strong on kick return in an impressive opening half. 

Half-time: In search of just their second win of the season the Dragons take a 10-6 lead to the break. The Red V completed 18 of 20 sets at 90 per cent and came up with tries to Tyrell Sloan and Setu Tu to lead at half-time for just the fourth time this season.

40 min: Dan Atkinson goes to the air on the last but Hamish Stewart can't control the catch and the Raiders come away.

38 min: Owen Pattie comes up with a forward pass out of dummy half and the Dragons take over 40m out from the Canberra line.

37 min: The Raiders have a full set inside the red zone but come up empty after several one-out charges at the line from close range. 

31 min: Setu Tu chases hard on a high kick and takes the ball out of Savelio Tamale's hands and finds a way to ground the ball despite the efforts of three defenders to hold him up. Tamale is taken from the field by Ricky Stuart after a horror 30 minutes in which he made four errors and Seb Kris enters the game. Val Holmes fails to convert. Dragons 10-6

29 min: Dan Atkinson goes high, Savelio Tamale makes the catch and is forced back in-goal. The Raiders go long with the dropout.

27 min: Kyle Flanagan is caught on the last tackle without getting a kick in and the opportunity is squandered.

26 min: More drama for Savelio Tamale as he spills a bomb just 10 metres out from his own line. Dragons scrum.

24 min: Savelio Tamale is bundled into touch by Setu Tu and Mat Feagai as the Dragons' right edge muscles up to force a turnover.

20 min: A neat grubber by Ethan Sanders for Hudson Young to follow through and ground the ball just inside the dead ball line. Sanders converts. 6-6

17 min: Consecutive penalties against Corey Horsburgh for offside and Ethan Sanders for a high tackle have the Dragons camped in the red zone but Kyle Flanagan comes up with a grubber that is far too heavy. Seven-tackle set for Canberra.

15 min: Ethan Strange shows plenty of strength and great footwork to bamboozle the Dragons and leave four defenders in his wake but a last-ditch tackle by Toby Couchman dislodges the ball before grounding. NO TRY.

12 min: Kyle Flanagan makes a line break and is dragged down just short before the Dragons make a mess of their last-tackle play and turn the ball over.

11 min: Kaeo Weekes puts the kick-off out on the full and the Raiders are under the pump again.

9 min: Ethan Sanders' pass is put down by Zac Hosking, the ball is swooped on by Tyrell Sloan who races 70 metres to open the scoring. Val Holmes converts. Dragons 6-0

8 min: A left side raid by the Dragons unlocks Clint Gutherson who grubbers back infield for Val Holmes to chase. Kaeo Weekes and Xavier Savage chase hard along with Holmes and the Dragons centre is ruled to have knocked on as he tried to ground it.

4 min: A wide kick by Dan Atkinson is taken by Savelio Tamale with his foot planted over the sideline but he is ruled to have caught the ball first and then put his foot down so the Dragons have a scrum.

3 min: Setu Tu climbs high to contest an attacking kick with Savelio Tamale and the ball spills free to Hamish Stewart who dives over the line but replays show Tu had knocked the ball on into the Raiders winger.

Late Mail

Raiders: The Green Machine line up 1-19 with no late changes. Simi Sasagi returns from a calf injury and comes straight into the centres, with Seb Kris shifting to the interchange. Emerging fullback Chevy Stewart has been named on the six-man bench and could provide attacking X-factor as the Raiders look to kick-start their season. 

Dragons: Nick Tsougranis drops out of the side 90 minutes before kick-off with Jacob Halangahu and Lyhkan King-Togia rounding out the interchange. Moses Suli remains sidelined for a second-straight week after going down in the warm-up before the Round 16 clash with the Knights. That will see Tyrell Sloan remain on the wing and Mat Feagai at centre in an unchanged starting side. 

Numbers Game

• The Raiders have won five of their last six games against the Dragons.
• The Dragons have not won at GIO Stadium since 2015.
• The Raiders have lost five from seven at GIO Stadium this season.
• Dragons centre Valentine Holmes has scored seven tries in six games at GIO Stadium.
• Raiders centre Matt Timoko has scored five tries in his last five games against the Dragons.

Knights v Wests Tigers

Late Mail

Knights: The Knights are 1-19 with no late changes. Origin duo Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Lucas are on track to return for the final game of Beanie for Brain Cancer Round, with Fletcher Sharpe shifting to five-eighth and Sandon Smith set to come off the bench. Edge forward Jermaine McEwen is also back on deck following a one-game suspension and comes straight back into the starting side. Coach Justin Holbrook said utility Fletcher Hunt would play NSW Cup in Tamworth on Friday night to get some game time and then return to Newcastle to take his place on the six-man bench on Sunday. James Schiller and Harrison Graham dropped out in the 24-hour update and Francis Manuleleua was the last man to drop out on game day.

Wests Tigers: Bunty Afoa starts the game and Fonua Pole goes to the bench ina late switch. Halfback Adam Doueihi itakes his place in the starting side after recovering from a shoulder injury but lock Alex Twal remains sidelined with a knee injury. Alex Seyfarth returns to the starting side at lock in No.16. Patrick Herbert has also been ruled out after dislocating his shoulder with Starford To'a shifting to centre and Jeral Skelton named on the wing. Faaletino Tavana has been added to the six-man bench 24 hours before kick-off.

Numbers Game

• The Knights have won four of their last five games at McDonald Jones Stadium.
• Wests Tigers have won their last two games against the Knights.
• Knights five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe has scored 16 tries in 16 games at McDonald Jones Stadium.
• Wests Tigers fullback Jahream Bula has scored six tries in five games against the Knights.
• Knights winger Dominic Young has scored eight tries in his last six games against Wests Tigers.