The Raiders have claimed their second consecutive top four scalp with a 24-12 win over Souths at GIO Stadium in Canberra.
Canberra scored 18 unanswered second-half points to win the match after heading into the sheds trailing 12-4 at half-time.
The Rabbitohs scored the first try of the match in the 10th minute. Damien Cook darted out of dummy half close to the line before offloading and five-eighth Cody Walker stepped through the Canberra defence to score.
The Bunnies were in again eight minutes later when Greg Inglis beat Joey Leilua close to the line to barge his way over. Today was Inglis’ first game back after being out with a broken thumb for the past six weeks and he generally played strongly.
The Raiders hit back nine minutes before half-time when centre Michael Oldfield grounded a Josh Hodgson grubber kick just before the dead ball line.
They scored their first second half try in the 53rd minute just after Souths interchange forward Jason Clark was sin binned for a ruck infringement. Oldfield ran strongly onto a Josh Hodgson cut out ball close to the line to score his second try.
That made the score 12-10 to Souths, but the Raiders hit the front for the first time in the match in the 64th minute when five-eighth Blake Austin threw a great ball to charging backrower Sia Soliola and he scored near the posts.
Winger Nic Cotric then capped off a great performance with a determined try in the 71st minute. He burst onto the ball from dummy half and used his strength and footwork to get the ball down.
The loss is Souths third on the trot after they were also beaten by the Broncos and the Roosters in the last few weeks.
Raiders’ supporters will be wondering what might have been if they had been able to string a few more wins together this year.
Canberra Raiders 24
South Sydney Rabbitohs 12
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Raiders just keep frustrating their fans.
Ron Norton
Roar Rookie
The last two games have shown what the Raiders can do with a fair crack of the whip from match officials. For the first time this season, Canberra got their fair share of the 50/50 calls, even if there was a question mark over the linesman over-ruling the referees on the alleged forward pass for what would have been Soliola's second try. Happy to accept it might have been fractionally forward but have seen many tries allowed under similar circumstances this season.
Gary Harvey
Guest
Thats a really good question, Souths definitely looked tired in the second half of the game.I have been baffled by Stuart's use of the bench all season. He leaves big tired forwards on the park when they are clearly knackered and has not put players on at all in several games or brings them on at odd times for very short stints. I thought it was because either he was a useless coach or maybe he just gets too into the game to know whats going on but if Seibold is doing it too maybe they know something we dont?
Nat
Roar Guru
Fair point Bunny. I wasn't aware of that interchange stat and all the more interesting considering they had Clark sent off for 10, therefore, fatiguing his players even more. I can't imagine it would be good practice to want his chargers overly fatigued. His forwards have been relatively injury free so they would be as match fit as they could possibly be by now. Leaving them out there may just lead to a higher risk of injury. Maybe the weather and the stop/start nature of the game meant they weren't that fatigued by way of their runner talking to them. But, in hindsight, it would a better rotation system may have given them extra efforts as it was the Raiders who run them down after a slow start.
Gold Coast Bunny
Guest
Seibold has proven himself an excellent coach in his short tenure in first grade. By all reports players think he is excellent and as a mere supporter far be it for me to question his tactics however I would be interested in any ones thoughts given, Canberra had 60% of the ball, that three of the four interchange players played only 12, 7 and 0 minutes. With a side fatiguing one would think fresh troops would have helped or is he trying to put that fatigue into actual game time so during the semis this would provide an advantage?
Nat
Roar Guru
It seems the Raiders don't handle pressure well. They came from no where in 2016 to one (dropped) pass from a GF appearance where they hadn't reached the finals for a few years prior. Then comes the pressure to live up to those standards and they can't quite get there. Rarely pumped and plenty of small losses shows they still have all the ability but don't handle pressure situations. Take that pressure away and they easily account for 2 of the big premiership contenders.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Yes John, very poor effort by the Bunnies but, the Raiders were their usual dynamic self's and the Bunnies had no answers to the usual Raiders 2nd half resurgence(s) that have been so prominent this year. The Bunnies have no excuses for this game and the injury excuses are wearing thin. Lets see what happens next week against the desperate Tigers as things are not looking good for the Bunnies, maybe and the only excuse and positive thing that the Bunnies can take out of this game is that GI, Johnson and Graham are coming back from injuries and it will take them this game to come good but, things are not looking good for the Bunnies as they are going from bad to worst and that is not good especially when the Broncos, Warriors, Storm and the Sharks are improving with every game coming into the finals.