The Raiders held out a fast-finishing Roosters side to claim a well-earned victory away from home.
Result
Canberra Raiders 20
Tries: (3) Jack Wighton 16th; Albert Hopoate 21st; Matt Timoko 28th
Goals: (4) Jarrod Croker 7th, 22nd, 29th, 56th
Sydney Roosters 18
Tries: (3) Joseph Manu 39th, 42nd; Lindsay Collins 75th
Goals: (3) Sandon Smith 39th, 44th, 76th
Report
The Raiders travelled up the highway to Sydney to face off with the Roosters. It was a tale of two halves as the Raiders jumped out to an early lead and then held on against the barnstorming home side to claim a 20-18 victory.
The Roosters had all the running in the second half, and looked likely to get the win, but the Raiders had other ideas, showing incredible determination to continue to turn them away in a brave performance.
An off-side penalty in front of the goal gave the Raiders the first points of the game courtesy of the boot of Jarrod Croker as they took the early two points on offer.
Jack Wighton then flew above James Tedesco on a bomb to claim the first try of the evening, but Croker missed what should’ve been another easy one as the Raiders jumped out to a six-point lead.
Albert Hopoate was next on the scoresheet for the Raiders as Croker made a break then found Hudson Young in support, who then threw a questionable pass for the winger to cross in the corner. Croker would make no mistake with the extras this time and push the Raiders’ lead out to 12.
The Raiders’ willingness to compete for the high ball was rewarded again when Sebastian Kris outjumped Tedesco to bat the ball back to Matt Timoko, who then showed his speed as he burst into space and score under the post, with Croker’s extras pushing the scores out to 18-0.
The Roosters would get their first points in the shadows of half-time, when centre Joseph Manu showed his speed and strength, leaving Raiders defenders in his wake on his way to the tryline. Rookie halfback Sandon Smith then converted the goal to send his side into the sheds with a 12-point deficit.
The Roosters would make the most of their first opportunity in the second half when Manu grabbed his second try of the evening, as he latched on to a cross field kick and reached out to score, with Smith again converting the extras to bring the Roosters to within six.
Croker would get the scoreboard ticking over for the Raiders once again, when another penalty goal pushed the lead out to eight as the Raiders fought to hold back a Roosters side that was now full of momentum.
The Roosters threatened time and time again in the dying stages, and it was Lindsay Collins – fresh off of his Man of the Match performance in Origin 2 – who crashed over under the posts to reduce the deficit to just two points, setting up a grandstand finish with just four minutes to play. That is where the scores would stay as the Raiders held on to win by two points.
The win sees the Raiders move into sixth place while the Roosters look to stay in touch with the top eight as they fall to 12th.
On the injury front, Raiders veteran forward Josh Papalii succumbed to a hamstring injury early in the contest, while the Roosters have their own injury concerns as Angus Crichton also failed to finish the game due to a knee injury.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Corey Horsburgh (Raiders)
2 – Joey Manu (Roosters)
1 – Lindsay Collins (Roosters)
