If the next State of Origin wasn’t a year away, Blake Austin might have played himself into a NSW jersey with a stunning hat-trick in Canberra’s 36-22 win over Newcastle on Friday.
The superstar No.6 scored three tries inside the first 15 minutes, while Josh Papalii got a double to seal the Raiders’ first victory in a month, at a chilly GIO Stadium.
Their last win was in round 13 against the Knights, who’ve now lost six in a row.
With Laurie Daley’s halves pairing of Trent Hodkinson and Mitchell Pearce proving unsuccessful in the Blues’ Origin title defence, Austin provided a timely reminder of his skill at five-eighth.
He took just 90 seconds to get try No.1, following a brave decision to run on the last tackle of the second set of the game.
His made it a double barely six minutes later, grabbing a Paul Vaughan offload and turning Knights fullback Kurt Gidley inside out with a superb left-foot step.
He brought up the hat-trick in the 15th minute after winning the race to a clever kick in-goal.
“Every time I see him play I’m more impressed with him,” rugby league immortal Andrew Johns said during commentary for the Nine Network.
“What a player.”
Jarrod Croker scored Canberra’s fourth try and then converted in the 23rd minute to overtake Mal Meninga as the Raiders’ third-highest tryscorer of all time.
Newcastle hit back with one of their own on the half-hour mark to enter the break 24-4 down.
With the return of Tyrone Roberts and playmaker Jarrod Mullen together for the first time since Anzac Day, the Knights had hoped their first-choice halves pairing would spark their attack in Canberra.
But Mullen – back after 10 weeks on the sidelines with a foot injury – appeared a shadow of himself, hobbling at times.
Dane Gagai also struggled, having made his Origin debut barely 48 hours earlier in Queensland’s series-winning victory in Brisbane.
But his Maroons teammate Papalii showed no signs of fatigue, adding to his maiden Origin try with a double both scored in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
Akuila Uate answered with a pair of tries and Kane Snowden a four-pointer of his own, but it was too little too late for the Knights.
The night, however, ended on a sour note for the Raiders, with in-form halfback Sam Williams taken off late in the second half with a suspected pectoral injury.
Old School
Roar Rookie
Ch 9 did cannibalise the NRL with the Ashes on GEM at the same time. Can't blame the Raiders, the Knights have been stinking up the comp since round 5. The score was something like 18-0 after 20 mins, and 34-4 early in the 2nd half, people would've been switching to the Ashes in droves!
up in the north
Roar Rookie
That was a great game on Friday night. Blake Austin was superb. Of his three tries it was the second that impressed the hell out of me, a good footy player backs up and supports the ball runner - just in case something happens - he was , and it did. He needs to spend time on his kicking game yet before he is talked about in the Origin frame though. But I have no doubts with Stuart as his coach he will get the right sort of help. Good things ahead for Raiders fans, both of you. ;-)
TheSmak
Guest
Raiders looking next year with Seizer coming into play. I want to comment on who should stay and go for NSW but 1, it's glaringly obvious and 2, every single other poster on the roar has already beat me to it.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Gee that's a tough call Jay C - support the Broncos who took our darling little Milf away (how quickly we forget when you have a Blake Austin) - or the Bulldogs? If I was sensible I should be backing the Dogs. But Raiders supporters are irrational to begin with simply because they support the Raiders. Can't say I'm fussed either way.
Jay C
Roar Guru
There is honestly no pleasing the NRL fan.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
What do you expect when you put a game on at 7.30 pm in the middle of Winter in Canberra and its zero degrees? The Canberra locals aren't stupid. A typical Sunday afternoon around this time in Canberra is sunny and around 13 to 14 degree - a bit nippy for Sydneysiders sure - but fairly pleasant. Friday night scheduling in Canberra in Winter just shows how dumb the NRL management is. Why not a Sunday afternoon? I reckon they would have got a lot closer to 10,000. Mind you the forecast for tomorrow is 7 with possible snow. Can't wait.
Renegade
Roar Guru
They definitely are on the up turbo and if the can cement themselves as one of the better sides in the comp I'm sure they'll get a decent amount of games on FTA.... Right now it would be silly to give them a Friday night game after last nights figures.
turbodewd
Guest
Merrin, Scott, Tamou and Woods must go. Woods gives dumb penalties and is lazy at getting back in the D line.
turbodewd
Guest
Renegade, if the Raiders are never given any FTA games then they must be compensated. 400k viewers reflects the lowly position of both teams. However the Raiders are on the up and have many exciting players - Rapana, Austin, Lee, Papali.
turbodewd
Guest
Agree completely that 2 Blakes must be added to the Blues. Id also drop Aaron Woods. Ive watched Game3 again and the bloke gave away 2 dumb penalties and is lazy. He has no motor. He never rushes to get back onside, usually walks. His hairdo shows his attitude - relaxed, unkempt.
Renegade
Roar Guru
I'm always one to say let's show more Raiders and Warriors games on FTA but gee if channel 9 was my business I wouldn't put them on either. There was a paltry crowd which can be excused by the weather but the tv ratings for last nights game was the lowest for a Friday night game in a very long time... under 400k - that's unheard of. You'd be silly to want to put the Raiders on FTA with those figures.... I don't think they'll get another Friday night game for a very long time unless they happen to be leading the competition table.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Austin is a footballer who uses his athleticism to his advantage.He can read a game,spot gaps,break a tight defence something our pedestrian 5/8 failed to do in the SOO series. There are footballers and athletes,he covers both.You need those types in SOO.Maroons were filled with these sort of footballers. If i were planning ahead for NSW players(and thank heavens I'm not),Austin,Bird (not the grubby one) ,Frizzelle,Cartwright,Roberts,Wight,Rein,Tedesco ,Moylan,would be in my training squad.Enthusiasm,speed,guile ,ability to read a game,qualities missing from the Blues on Wednesday night. From a viewer's perspective after the first try was scored albeit hardly a planned move,the Blues appeared to throw in the towel. The dopes like Merrin.Scott and Tamou adopted the attitude of let's scare the inners out of the Maroons,by cheap shooting or devil may care approach in tackles.It failed miserably. If Merrin and Scott are selected next time,based on loyalty,Laurie needs to hand in his coaching badge.Loyalty proved an abstract failure last Wednesday. Inject some enthusiasm and skills next time.
MJB
Guest
Austin was absolutely magnificent. I hoped the Raiders would put on a good performance while they had a Friday night game on 9 and they delivered right from the first whistle. Hopefully Williams is okay.
Tomas Kelly
Roar Rookie
Austin last night demonstrated the importance of a half being able to support as well as create. Super impressive all round performance. Not sure where to from here for the Knights. They were flat and beaten to the punch from the opening whistle
cedric
Guest
as an unbiased observer of SOO, I think as well as a better mental approach NSW need strike power. Two Blakes, Roberts, Mansour, Moylan and maybe a Soward or the like for direction. They could also do with a bit more devil child ( Klemmer ) aggression in the back row, as Qld forwards were superb! But really the SOO series to me, if I was a paying customer, was not there. SOO No.1 was a let down with the apparent lack of 10 metres. No.2 was good. N0.3 after 20 minutes was not a game of footy. For the loss of NRL games on a munber of weekends, I'm dissapointed.
KillaKanga
Roar Rookie
Well why didn't you say so earlier ? I must immediately switch over ;-)
Jay C
Roar Guru
Also Australia are 7th in the SoPac Games if anyone is interested.
Jay C
Roar Guru
How about this Raiders fans. Seens I backed you last night, and the Dogs are blocking your way to the 8, you should all get on the Broncos tonight. :)
Jay C
Roar Guru
Couldn't watch it up here, they have got the South Pacific games on instead of the footy. They did have the Basketball and Rugby 7s Bronze medal games on though so it wasn't all bad. PNG nearly got up at the death but too little too late. Put a little gambit on Raiders 13+ and was very pleased at half time, looks like the Knights came back a bit though and nearly stole my bikkies.
KillaKanga
Roar Rookie
I said all along this guy should have been the NSW no.6