The Canberra Raiders have booked a date with the Melbourne Storm are through to the NRL preliminary finals are a commanding performance at GIO Stadium to take a ten point win over the Penrith Panthers.
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The Raiders maintained their dominance for most of the contest, and for the visitors it was a struggle to get into the contest in the first half, and then to capitalise on their opportunities in the second, which they struggled to do badly.
Canberra led their game through the middle of the park and with that dominance were able to pounce all over the Panthers, leading the game 18-0 at one point before there was a comeback of sorts that just wasn’t quite strong enough.
Their forwards were led in a big way by Junior Paulo who seemed to mirror Jason Taumalolo of the North Queensland Cowboys last night in that he always looked dangerous and was nearly impossible to tackle at times.
Blake Austin and Josh Hodgson being back in the side was a massive help for the Raiders in attack, and they flowed for the full 80 minutes on the ball despite making a number of errors – it was nowhere near as many as Penrith and they were able to capitalise on their opportunities.
Arguably though, the biggest weapon for Canberra was Jack Wighton who had a brilliant game on both ends of the park, setting up plays, making plays and being as safe as a house at the back.
With that firing on all cylinders, even a quiet period during the second half when the Panthers scored their only points of the match with back-to-back tries they were able to overcome it and close out the match.
For Penrith they simply struggled to get any flow to their attack. While the forward pack stood up at various times, they were out-muscled and made a lot of silly decisions which led to countless errors, and frustrating ones at that early in the tackle count which let the Raiders off the hook defensively time and time again.
Nathan Cleay and Bryce Cartwright simply didn’t take control of the attack and their persistence with running the ball on the last tackle was painful to watch as they came up short numerous times, despite scoring their two tries doing exactly that.
Matt Moylan, like the halves, struggled to control the game with any real flare and their outside backs also failed to get involved enough to get Penrith out of trouble.
The scoring opened in the 12th minute with Canberra on the attack as Blake Austin got a pass from Josh Hodgson, threw a massive dummy to the right and then stepped back through the defence to score.
The second try was an extravagant long range one with Joseph Leilua making a break and then chipping a kick into the in goal out of a tackle for Rapana to run the rest of the way and score the try.
At halftime, it was the Raiders 12-0 but there was plenty more action in the second half as the game opened up somewhat.
It didn’t take long for the Raiders to add to their total after the break, with a penalty in the first set, then a drop out before Jarrod Croker crossed in the corner off a wonderful play set up by nice passes from Aiden Sezer and Jack Wighton.
From there, it was end-to-end play bungled by errors before the Panthers finally gained some momentum and scored their opening points in the 59th minute with Tyrone Peachey crossing off a wonderful long ball from Matt Moylan.
The Panthers would set up what looked like it was going to be a cracking finish just minutes later when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored off a very scrappy play in the corner but it wasn’t to be as Croker slotted a pair of penalty goals in the last ten minutes to end the season for Penrith.
The Raiders then, with a dominant performance tonight but they now turn their attention to the Melbourne Storm away from home next weekend which will be far from easy with a spot in the grand final at stake.
Final Score
Canberra Raiders 22
Penrith Panthers 12
zim
Roar Rookie
Peter Wallace was on side maybe twice the entire game. Both sides got dud calls. The difference; the Raiders being the better team for most of the game took their opportunities with way better 5th tackle options. Panthers just looked like they couldn't handle the occasion. Penrith got back into it because the Raiders started throwing the ball away. Could have been an embarrassing score otherwise.
Albo
Guest
The Panthers performance was below their recent par. But perhaps if the dubious 8 x lost ball / strip instances in tackles throughout the game had been evenly adjudicated upon rather than 7-1 in the Raiders favour, there may have been fewer Panther "errors" and so more momentum to their play. At least this match should now spell the last of the makeshift role at number 6 for Bryce Cartwright. He completely stifled the backline opportunities for the Panthers, and he needs to be sent back to the pack for next season.
zim
Guest
Yeah people who don't follow the raiders really only look at the last 1 or 2 games and don't seem to even think about how different the matches will be. Storm are nothing like the Panthers, and Canberra won't treat them the same. If penrith are on their game you don't beat them by being conservative. The Storm can be beaten with control set up by dominant forwards and classier edges.
Josh
Expert
No insult intended. I reckon a win where you score nearly double what the opposition did fits probably into the lower range of an acceptable use of 'canter'. Panthers put up a good fight, but Raiders clearly the better side. Everyone reads the game differently though, and that's what makes sport great.
Josh
Expert
Nice.
The eye
Guest
On that games form line the Broncos shouldnt have gotten anywhere near the Cows either....Ricky on Belly..interesting to see what triicks theyll come up with..
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
Agree with you UITN. I have Storm by 20+
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
I'm a big fan of alliteration it titles too but I did give credit to Penrith in mine for League Unlimited: Rampaging Raiders power past plucky Panthers.
Taree Raider
Guest
I love the way that people forget the past. Especially when it is the very recent past. I do recall a game where the Raiders beat the storm 22 to 4. (5 weeks ago.) In that game the Raiders forwards bashed the crap out of the Storm. I remember it well as it was the most enjoyable 80 minutes of Rugby League I have watched. The final ten minutes Melbourne didn't want the ball as they knew what they were going to get. Who could forget the set of six where Melbourne got the ball on their goal line & on tackle five they were nine metres further up the field.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Well that was then, and this is now I guess. Let me ask, do you think after watching the Storm / Cowbies last week that the Raiders could beat the Storm in their current form.
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
Elliott's erroneous elocution erred enormously
Dingo McNumbat
Roar Rookie
You could probably pick a better Origin team than Daley simply from the men on the park last night.
The eye
Guest
The gap in class out wide looked the other way a month ago..
Zedman
Roar Rookie
Laurie Daleys biggest coaching mistake, amongst many, the failure to pick Joey in SOO.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Melbourne will put a cricket score on the Raiders next week. There's no shame in that though, the gap in class is too wide for them at this stage. I think next year is shaping up to be another exciting season with the improvement still left in a few teams.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
Oh, that's ok then. By all means use alliteration to make a headline which is insulting to the Panthers and misleading. How's the water?
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I don't know if I was just exhausted after last night or what but this game just didn't do it for me. I mean I was watching it and when the Panthers started coming back into it I thought this should be getting exciting now but I just wasn't feeling it. better than the error riddled snooze fest of WBs vs Argies at least.
Armchair expert
Guest
Hard to remember a year when there were so many stand out performers. Toumololo, Leilua, Rapana, Hodgson, Moses, Tedesco, Barba, Moylon and Mansour. A great year for attacking football.
The eye
Guest
Agree there was no canter and no pump.teams are falling off into final positions commensurate with the quality of their season though..Raiders very worthy winners..BJ is relentless,no other center in the NRL is in his ball park..
Josh
Expert
Sorry Pomoz, but alliteration is my drug.