The Canberra Raiders have claimed an important victory in beating the Parramatta Eels 30-18 at home. It’s just their second win of the season and keeps them in touch with the top eight.
The Raiders capitalised on a glut of possession late in the first half to head into the sheds leading 22-6.
They opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Sia Soliola grounded an Aidan Sezer grubber, but the Eels hit back to level the scores at 6-all in the 24th minute, when they ran it on the last tackle and fullback Bevan French crossed.
The Raiders then laid on three tries in 11 minutes. The first was a long-range try scored by five-eighth Blake Austin after good lead-up work from Joey Leilua and Jordan Rapana.
Leilua scored himself a minute later when Rapana took a last tackle kick by Sezer and laid it back for him to force his way over.
Jarrod Croker then scored the 100th try of his career when he grounded a Josh Hodgson grubber.
The Eels needed to hit back quickly in the second half and the share of possession reversed in the first fifteen minutes.
Parramatta responded with two tries. The first was scored by Michael Jennings after a great flick pass from Bevan French. That was followed soon after by a dummy half try from close range by hooker Kaysa Pritchard.
The Eels were back in it at 22-18 and the game then became an arm wrestle for the next ten minutes.
A great individual try under the posts from 18-year-old Canberra winger Nick Cotric ultimately sealed the match for the Raiders and demonstrated his potential.
With just over ten minutes to go, he ran from dummy half and beat three Parramatta defenders on his way to the line.
Canberra Raiders 30
Parramatta Eels 18
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