Comeback win keeps Raiders' finals dream alive

Twenty unanswered points in the second half saw Canberra produce a come-from-behind 28-22 victory over the Knights which keeps them right in the hunt for a spot in the top eight. 

Down by 14 at half-time, the Raiders dominated the second half and struck the telling blow seven minutes from time when representative props Josh Papalii and Joseph Tapine combined for a long-range break, which ended in Jack Wighton scoring in the corner. 

Jordan Rapana then had to make a try-saving intervention 30 seconds from time when Edrick Lee flew into the corner for what would have been his third try, with Rapana doing enough to force Lee to put the ball down on the sideline in attempting to ground it. 

With their 12th win of the year, Canberra find themselves just one win back from the eighth-placed Broncos with two games left in the regular season. 

Earlier Newcastle raced out of the gates and score three tries inside the opening 25 minutes through Lee and a double for Dominic Young. 

But with Anthony Milford unable to convert any of them, the hosts only had a 12-4 lead to show for it after Sebastian Kris hit back for the Raiders. 

Jordan Rapana was next to score, but hopes of a Green Machine revival before the break were dashed minutes later when Lee climbed high to claim the ball and score his second, before Mat Croker broke the line and found captain Jayden Brailey looming in support for his first try of the year.

Milford finally landed a conversion on his fifth attempt, to send his side to the sheds up 22-8.

The downfall of the Knights started just four minutes into the second half when they failed to contest a bomb which fell just short of their line, allowing Kris to score and cut the gap to eight. 

Hudson Young then did it on his own with a cheeky grubber which he chased and touched down just inside the in-goal area, before Fogarty's penalty locked scores at 22-all.

The game sat in the balance for the next 20 minutes, with both sides enjoying scoring chances, before Canberra's bookends combined to break down field, with a wayward offload eventually finding Wighton for a try in the corner. 

Match snapshot  

• The Raiders scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to secure the win.
• Joseph Tapine had a huge game in his return from a rib injury, carrying the ball for 174 metres, 72 of which came post contact, and making the break which led to the winning try. 
• Knights skipper Jayden Brailey was a standout in a losing side, making 46 tackles and scoring a try in the first half. 
• Newcastle lost Tyson Frizell to a rib injury in the warm up, adding to the earlier withdrawal of Daniel Saifiti due to COVID-19.
• The Knights have lost nine of their last 11 home games. 
• This was the first time the Knights and Raiders had met at McDonald Jones Stadium since 2017.

Play of the game

With the game hanging in the balance and the Raiders needing a dynamic play, it was their two props who combined to send Jack Wighton over for the game-winning try. Joseph Tapine played in Josh Papalii, who then put Tapine through for a long-range break. The ensuing offload - while wayward - found it's way to Wighton. 

What they said

"There were some moments in the first half the players actually said were enjoyable for them out there, but I thought the 10 minutes after half-time was obviously where we lost the game. We didn't start with the same intent that we did in the first half... we just started on the back foot." - Knights coach Adam O'Brien.

"Really happy (with the second-half response), it was just two halves of football. I just thought the way they reacted after the half-time break was a sign of a mature team and a team that cares about a result... winning those games keeps us alive for another week." - Raiders coach Ricky Stuart. 

What's next

The Raiders are at home to the Sea Eagles up next, while the Knights head to the Gold Coast to face the Titans.