The Canberra Raiders proved far too prolific for last year’s grand finalists the North Queensland Cowboys, winning by 26 points.
Final score
Canberra Raiders 38
North Queensland Cowboys 12
Round 18 of the NRL continues as the Canberra Raiders host the North Queensland Cowboys in our nation’s capital. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 7:35pm (AEST).
What do you do with a team like the Raiders?
A fairly significant stat did the round last weekend, in that Canberra are the top of the table team if games were 60 minutes long. The Raiders have been in front at the hour mark in 12 games this season. Yet they only have 7 wins.
Now, a coach as meticulous as Ricky Stuart would be pulling the rest of his hair out with stats like that, particular for a coach who, as a player, gave 110 per cent of his heart and soul into everything he did, above and beyond the 80 minutes of the game.
So it was something of a true surprise when the Raiders came back from the dead last week to beat the Bulldogs in those last bizarre moments of their round 17 clash.
And then there’s BJ Leilua. Oh dear BJ. So much raw talent, so much untapped potential.
A true rocks and diamonds player if ever there was one, simultaneously near costing his team the game and then winning it for them, only to have the spotlight shone straight on him with his post-match-winning try antics.
Joey Leilua is lucky to still be named in the side this week, but perhaps he more than anyone is emblematic of the season the Raiders are having.
Which brings us to the Cowboys. Wow.
Premiers one season, grand finalists not long after the next, and now? Running 14th this season. That is truly astonishing.
Long may Jonathan Thurston wonder if he played on a season too long, but that contemplation is for another day. He is in fact still playing, and while the Cowboys’ season is likely long gone, there is still pride.
Thurston will be hoping that the likes of Gavin Cooper will be coming back on a high from Origin 3, and try to inspire the northerners to an unlikely, though not imporobable, victory.
This game really is anybody’s guess: the 60-minute champions versus the under-achievers. Each gives the other hope, as quickly as they take that hope away from themselves.
Prediction
Hard game to tip, so I’m going with the Raiders purely on the basis that they are last start winners, it’s in Canberra, and it should be cold. But I can’t remember the last time I had so little faith in one of my tips. Could really go any way.
Raiders by 2.
Join us at The Roar for live scores and updates from 7:35pm (AEDT), and don’t forget to add your comments.
Rob
Guest
He should never have been signed for that 1 year extension. His, Coote, Linnett, Winterstien Scott, Bolton and Cooper have collectively cost the Cowboys Ponga, Brandon Smith, V. Kikau and prevented 3 years of club development. It’s dumb management and the coach and some players have effectively been living of a GF bonus for 3 years. The fact everyone at the Cowboys bought into the JT CC. award is laughable. He was average and in reality his errors almost cost the Cowboys the GF.
Emcie
Roar Guru
was it? i wish there was a way of checking these things, the commentary teams aren't exactly reliable
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Bloody hell, we were gifted four of the lamest tries in history, but I will take them.
BJones
Roar Rookie
In all honesty that should of happened after he played his 300th against the sharks, or even last year. I visit Townsville quite regularly for my job and have even caught a couple of games at smiles. Watching him get bashed pillar to post laying on the ground for about half a minute and then get slowly to his feet is not a fantastic sight to watch. When speaking to the locals regarding Thurston they all say the same thing, that he played one season too many
perry cox
Roar Guru
Commentators curse is not limited to on-air comments it appears.
Rob
Guest
Thurston will be luck to finish his career with a 50% win record. Embarrassing stuff and the coach has little to change things. They have a lot off contact and it’s hard to see why you would look to sign any of them. Fensom, Coote, Winterstein, Bolton and Scott should be retiring with JT at the end of the season.
perry cox
Roar Guru
Agreed. Great game up until the Raiders scored in the second half - then it was all over.
BJones
Roar Rookie
mate, that profile pick of yours is awesome, think I'll change mine to Darth Vader, thanks for the inspiration
perry cox
Roar Guru
Time for JT to call it a career?
BJones
Roar Rookie
time for the Cowboys to call it a season
perry cox
Roar Guru
Full Time The Canberra Raiders have lit a fire right under their season, on a cold night in the nation's capital, with a thorough and convincing win over North Queensland 38-12. It was a tight first half as both teams traded tries, the Raiders finding themselves up 14-12 at the half-time break. It was a bittersweet half for the Raiders, who enjoyed a scoreboard lead, but lost Jarrod Croker to a dislocated knee cap injury which may rule him out for a lengthy period of time. It was Croker's departure that brought Blake Austin into the game, as he grabbed a try from some slopping Cowboys defence, as Kyle Feldt failed to properly deal with a ball at the deadball line. However, the Cowboys would not go quietly, a late try and JT conversion to finish the half bridging the gap to 2 points. The second half was a tight and edgy affair, but once the Raiders scored their first, halfway into the second half, they did not look back. The Raiders once again found themselves in front on the hour mark, but tonight, there would be no mistakes, as Rapana landed a double, and Michael Oldfield picked up a hat trick of tries, his most memorable being a 90m dash through the centre of the field from a scrum feed, that must have finally broken the Cowboys' resistance. Aden Sezer grabbed a try himself in the final minutes, the Cowboys clearly a broken side. Ricky Stuart will be pleased with his team finishing the game off in style, but perhaps more so, the desperation and effort in defence, with multiple Cowboys barrages held right at the limit as time after time the Cowboys looked like scoring, only for a man in green to intervene, and keep the northerners at bay. And so, to the Raiders, go the spoils, after a thoroughly deserved win, their season very much alive, and very much a joker in the NRL pack. Meanwhile, it is yet another disappointing and consistently surprising loss to a Cowboys side that is still dense with talent, as surely this signals the end of their season, and likely, an ignominious end to the career of Jonathan Thurston. Canberra Raiders: 38 North Queensland Cowboys: 12
Griffo
Guest
You shouldn't have said it!
Jon
Roar Rookie
Can't argue with that with how the score line ended up. Though for 3/4 of the game it was anyones.
perry cox
Roar Guru
Full Time 80' - Sezer will convert his own try, after the siren. An emphatic win by the Raiders. No, they stop the clock with 5 seconds to go, and then start it again. Sezer converts, Raiders win, Cwoboys' season over.
Canberra Raiders: 38 North Queensland Cowboys: 12
perry cox
Roar Guru
TRY 79' - And Sezer ices the cake. Great play Raiders. Sezer under the posts. Rapana with the break, and the Raiders on the front foot. This has been their night!
Canberra Raiders: 36 North Queensland Cowboys: 12
perry cox
Roar Guru
I think the Raiders just just been better Jon.
perry cox
Roar Guru
78' - And now Winterstein reaches for the line. The Raiders desperation in defence has been marvellous. Austin picks up a loose grubber, and Raiders with the ball.
Canberra Raiders: 32 North Queensland Cowboys: 12
perry cox
Roar Guru
77' - And Williams with ANOTHER penalty, this time for holding on in the tackle. Again, on the try line.
Canberra Raiders: 32 North Queensland Cowboys: 12
Jon
Roar Rookie
The Cowboys have really cracked here, though had a bit of bad luck that didn't help.
perry cox
Roar Guru
77' - Well, this is Henry Perenara's world, and we're all just listening to his whistle, as he blows a penalty for the Cowboys on the tryline. I believe offside, but it could really be anything these days.
Canberra Raiders: 32 North Queensland Cowboys: 12