Lachy MacCorquodale reviews the final game of Round 23 between the Newcastle Knights and the Canberra Raiders.
MATCHDAY RESULTS
SCOREBOARD
Newcastle Knights 22
Tries: Edrick Lee 2 (5, 36), Dominic Young 2 (18, 25), Jayden Brailey (39)
Goals: Anthony Milford (40)
Canberra Raiders 28
Tries: Sebastian Kris 2 (10, 42), Jordan Rapana (32), Hudson Young (48), Jack Wighton (71)
Goals: Jamal Fogarty 4 (43, 49, 53 – pen, 73)
MATCH REPORT
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Canberra Raiders kept their finals hopes alive with a six-point comeback victory over the Newcastle Knights.
It was a beautiful afternoon in Newcastle, and it started perfectly for the Knights who opened the scoring just five minutes into the clash through a left edge shift which saw Edrick Lee score his first of the afternoon in the corner. The Raiders, with their season on the line, responded in quick fashion with Sebastian Kris scoring his own try on the left edge as he got on the outside of Dane Gagai and beat him one-on-one to level the scores.
To the surprise of most, the Knights turned it on, scoring the next two tries through 21-year-old Dominic Young. The Raiders scored next through Jordan Rapana down the right edge, but the Knights kept their foot on the pedal with tries to Lee and Jayden Brailey in the final five minutes of the first half.
The home side led by 14 points heading into the break, but it would be all downhill from there. The Raiders came out firing, scoring two tries in the first eight minutes of the second half and a Jamal Fogarty penalty goal brought the game level in the 53rd minute. The next 20 minutes saw the football drop off in quality, but plenty of feeling entered the game as both sides fought for the victory. Then the Raiders scored the match-winning try in the 72nd minute after a line break from Josh Papalii broke open the game: he passed to Joseph Tapine who threw a wild pass out wide which found Jack Wighton who scored in the corner to give the Raiders the lead.
The Raiders survived a scare in the final minutes as Lee came inches from giving the Knights a chance to level the game. It was one that got away from the Knights as the Raiders kept their season alive.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 pts – Joseph Tapine (Raiders), 2 pts – Hudson Young (Raiders), 1 pt – David Klemmer (Knights)
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