The Canberra Raiders came back from the dead to post a stunning 24-22 victory over the Sydney Roosters at Canberra Stadium last night.
The Raiders entered this match given absolutely no chance following last week’s dismal loss to Newcastle, while the Roosters went in on the back of a 50-0 shut-out of the Parramatta Eels last Monday night.
And nobody would have expected the Raiders to finish this match with their noses in front after the team trailed 16-0 at half-time.
But whatever David Furner told his players at half-time must have had an effect after the Raiders outscored the Roosters 24-6 in the second half.
As expected, the Roosters were the first to score through James Maloney in the 20th minute, after the Raiders were denied the opening try after they were ruled to have infringed under a high ball.
Maloney successfully converted his own try to put the Roosters out to a 6-0 lead.
Further tries to Michael Oldfield and Mitchell Aubusson (following a video referee decision) saw the Roosters out to a 16-0 half-time lead, and by then the Roosters had gone more than 200 minutes without giving up a single point, while scoring 74 unanswered points themselves.
It was reported that the Raiders’ dressing room resembled a morgue at half time as they tried to find a way out of this hole.
Whatever David Furner said must have worked, as the Green Machine came out all guns firing in the second half.
The Roosters’ Great Wall of Bondi finally cracked after three-and-a-half hours when the Raiders scored through Edrick Lee five minutes into the second half.
Another try five minutes later, through Sam Williams, suddenly had the Raiders back to within four points of the Roosters, the score being 16-12 in favour of the visitors.
Anthony Minichiello scored off a wonderful Sonny Bill Williams pass five minutes later to appear to have the Roosters back on the right track, but it would be the last time they would score all match.
At that point, the Roosters led 22-12.
The Raiders would not relent, and all the hard work they put in was rewarded with another try in the 66th minute through ex-Rooster Sandor Earl.
The successful conversion from Jarrod Croker saw the Raiders again reduce the Roosters’ lead to 22-18 with more than ten minutes left to play.
The scene was now set for a grandstand finish.
Could the Roosters hold firm, or could the Raiders somehow find a way through the now-diminished Roosters defence?
It was the Raiders who got the breakthrough with less than five minutes left, when Jarrod Croker, playing his 100th NRL match for the Raiders, scored to lock the scores up at 22-all.
He was now faced with a pressure conversion from the same position where he had a chance to win the Raiders a semi-final against the Wests Tigers three years ago.
On that occasion, the Raiders fell short and lost by two points.
But there would be no mistake this time around, as Croker eventually found the range, and edged the Raiders ahead 24-22 with less than two minutes to play.
The Roosters went for the short kick-off, but got penalised for being offside. T
he Raiders won the ensuing scrum feed and used the ball for as much as they could to use up all the time that was left.
The Roosters eventually had one last crack at the ball, but lost their chance to get back the lead, the Raiders picking up their second win of the season 24-22 in a thriller of a match.
The second half could have two sides to it.
Were the Roosters simply complacent after those two consecutive shut-outs? Or were the Raiders simply too good in that second half?
It seems the Raiders were the better side in the second half, after a terrible 40 minutes when it appeared they would be headed for another long night.
But to their credit, the Raiders never gave in and produced probably their best 40 minutes of football this season to stun a side that, for the last fortnight, were exceptionally hard to score against.
Next week they have the chance to put their season back on level terms when they host the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday night.
As for the Roosters, it appeared as if they were on track for yet another defensive victory tonight, until they completely turned off in the second half.
Sonny Bill Williams was quiet for most of the night, save for a wonderful try assist for Anthony Minichiello which provided the Roosters their only try in the second half.
Their second half capitulation was very disappointing given that they had not conceded a point for the three-and-a-half hours of football before that.
Next week, they face the Bulldogs in what should be an explosive match, as Sonny Bill Williams opposes the team he turned his back on almost five years ago.
Police and security will surely be beefed up for this one, and Sonny Bill Williams will have the Roosters’ fans in his corner as the Dogs try to make him pay for that betrayal in 2008.
In other matches, the South Sydney Rabbitohs fended off a desperate Warriors comeback to win 24-22 and remain unbeaten ahead of next week’s blockbuster against the Melbourne Storm, while the St. George Illawarra Dragons registered their second victory of the season by beating the Newcastle Knights 19-16 at WIN Jubilee Stadium.
In Auckland, the Rabbitohs led 18-6 at half-time but could only manage one second half try, which was enough for them to triumph 24-22.
Nathan Merritt, Greg Inglis, forgotten winger Bryson Goodwin and George Burgess were among the Bunnies’ tryscorers, while for the beaten Warriors Ben Matulino, Ngani Laumape, Konrad Hurrell and Pita Godinet were their scoreboard contributors, with only the failed conversion of Godinet’s try by Shaun Johnson being the difference.
At Kogarah, the Dragons led 9-0 at half-time as Jamie Soward and Nathan Fien fired for the second week in a row.
The Dragons actually led 19-12 with a minute left, but they must be disappointed that they let Akuila Uate score for Newcastle in the final minute.
Nevertheless, they should be happy that they have scored their second consecutive victory after a hat-trick of losses to start the season.
The Dragons’ victory ensures Steve Price remains unbeaten against the man he succeeded as coach of the Red V, Wayne Bennett.
Since the super coach left the 2010 premiers at the end of 2011, he has yet to score a victory against them.
In fact, he hasn’t coached a winning side against the Dragons since 2005, and that hoodoo will live on until at least round 13, which is when the Knights and Dragons meet next.
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