Late blitz sees Raiders past Dragons in 13-try thriller

Four tries in the final 15 minutes on Saturday afternoon lifted the Raiders to a 38-34 victory over the Dragons in a shootout at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.

With 13 tries scored across the 70 minutes, there was hardly a dull moment in the contest, and by full-time forwards Grace Kemp and Alexis Tauaneai, and prolific backs Madison Bartlett and Teagan Berry, all had personal doubles. 

Trailing 28-16 as the clock hit 55 minutes, having earlier wilted under the pressure of playing with 12 players due to Kerehitina Matua being binned for a hip drop, the Raiders turned it on in dramatic fashion to storm home and earn their second win of the season. 

Earlier the two sides couldn't be split at the end of an action-packed 35 minutes, in which they both got over for three tries, with the Raiders establishing an early lead thanks to strikes from Bartlett and Kemp.  

While Berry dragged the hosts back into the contest with a solo effort on 19 minutes – which marked her 18th four-pointer in 16 games – the joy was short-lived as the Green Machine promptly replied with a third through Shakiah Tungai.

But a series of muffed kick defusals then flung the door wide open for a Dragons comeback, with Shenai Lendill first pouncing on a loose bomb to weave through from 15 metres out, before a drop from Tungai led to the Red V crossing through powerhouse lock Tauaneai on the very next set. 

The match looked to have turned four minutes into the second period when Matua was sent to the bin for a hip drop, and while she was off the field the Dragons scored twice through Tauaneai and Kasey Reh to establish a 12-point advantage. 

But the Green Machine were far from dead, with three tries in the space of seven minutes putting them back in front with nine to play. 

Ashleigh Quinlan's effort and a second for Kemp were both converted by Zahara Temara, before Bartlett secure her personal double with an effort in the corner. 

When 2023 Kiwi Fern Amelia Pasikala sold the Dragons with a massive dummy to cross late on the result looked in the books, but a piece of individual brilliance from Berry to score her 19th try in 16 games set up a nail-biting finish. 

The in-form 22-year-old kicked for herself from 70 metres out, beating the Canberra chasers to collect and cross, but ultimately the effort didn't change the result.