Raiders steal crucial win in second half fightback
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Canberra have secured back-to-back wins for the first time in 2023, coming from behind to beat the Dragons 20-14 at GIO Stadium on Sunday.
In a contest that sprung to life in the second half, Raiders forward Hudson Young and young centre Matt Timoko crossed for tries in the final quarter to surge away from the Dragons, who then struck back late via Tautau Moga to get within reach.
It was Young's try against the run of play, however, which proved the difference and earned the Raiders a crucial victory going into their bye in Round 8.
The Raiders had multiple chances to cross the line early but couldn't capitalise on field position inside the visitors' 20-metre zone before the Dragons followed suit with similar possession but couldn't take advantage.
After a less than inspiring first half which included completion rates under 70 per cent, the Dragons took a 4-0 lead in the 39th minute with a try through Moga on the right edge.
Brute strength gets Tautau Moga across the line
Sebastian Kris got things started shortly after the break with a try of his own but momentum swung back in favour of the visitors when Nick Cotric, who re-injured a hamstring injury in doing so, was sin-binned for a professional foul.
Cotric's attempted tackle on Jack Bird without the ball proved costly with Mat Feagai scoring in the following play down the edge where the Raiders winger would've been defending.
Matt Timoko scores and the Raiders lead
A cheeky effort from Timoko close to the line got the Raiders back in front in the 62nd minute to give the home side a four-point lead going into the final stages.
Young's one-on-one strip gave the Raiders some breathing space and it was enough despite Moga crossing late to give the Dragons one last chance at stealing a win of their own.
Match: Raiders v Dragons
Round 7 -
home Team
Raiders
13th Position
away Team
Dragons
15th Position
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Match snapshot
- There was some drama early with the Dragons burning an interchange before kick-off after Moses Mbye ran onto the field instead of Jacob Liddle, which wasn't official in the team lists pre-game.
- Both sides were guilty of an error-riddled first half with only one try scored despite good opportunities in 20-metre zones.
- The Dragons completed at 62 per cent throughout the contest, a trend that was a constant after a first half of errors.
- Nick Cotric had an unhappy return to the field, re-injuring his hamstring in a play that saw him sin-binned in the second half.
- Dragons forward Jack de Belin was placed on report for a dangerous tackle in the 44th minute while Raiders captain Jarrod Croker was placed on report in the 54th minute for separate incidents.
- Ben Hunt ran the ball a whopping 22 times in the defeat while Tyrell Sloan made a strong contribution for the Red V with a try assist and 146 metres in the defeat.
- Sebastian Kris has given Ricky Stuart a bit to ponder following the bye with another strong performance at fullback. Xavier Savage's return via NSW Cup on Sunday will mean Stuart may have to reshuffle his side in Round 9.
- The Raiders have now won six of their past eight games against the Dragons.
- The Raiders have now won seven of their past nine games at GIO Stadium.
Play of the game
Like a thief in the night, Hudson Young quite literally stole the game with a one-on-one strip on Zane Musgrove to help the Raiders run away to victory.
What a play! Hudson Young hits the gas
What they said
“It's frustrating, we were really brave for long periods. We just lost control of it early in the second half. Defensively, they covered up everything and in the end, we completed at 60 odd per cent and didn’t take our chances when we needed to. We didn’t take our chance when we needed to and like I said that first 20 minutes of the second half, the way they got their two tries sort of went again the defensive effort we came up with all day." - Dragons coach Anthony Griffin
"The only thing we really backed up is we collected the two points. We weren’t good today in a lot of areas of our game. But the positive is we get the two points. There’s been a lot of games where we were good but missed out in the end. Today we hung on. To their credit, they have a very healthy desire to win these guys. They’re a competitive bunch and sometimes that plays a negative role, they try too hard. But I think that today was a big part in keeping us in the fight.” - Raiders coach Ricky Stuart
NRL Press Conference: Raiders v Dragons - Round 7, 2023
What's next
The Dragons will prepare for their annual ANZAC Day clash against the Roosters next Tuesday with no players due back until Round 10 at the earliest. The Raiders will enjoy a week off with Jordan Rapana and Ata Mariota among those who could be available.
