Summary
Ricky Stuart’s resilient Raiders just keep on keeping on. Undermanned before the start they needed three fullbacks to get beyond the Rabbitohs with Nicoll-Klokstad seemingly out for a while with a compound finger dislocation. After a narrow win over the Roosters last time out Canberra are keeping pace with the top-four and making sure they’ll be there when it matters at the end of the season.
It wasn’t a neat game of footy. Errors abounded on both sides with and without the ball, especially later on as the rain took its toll. But it’s the home side that will celebrate the two points.
Raiders 18-12 Rabbitohs
A gritty, hard fought victory for Canberra, denying South Sydney any second-half points to secure fifth place on the NRL ladder.
79 mins: Now or never for the Bunnies. Is that never? Not quite. It looked like a handling error but Williams got his fingertips to an attempted intercept, so it’s a scrum to the Rabbitohs. One minute remaining.
78 mins: What is Williams doing!? Canberra ignore the field goal, they also don’t carry it their full duration, Williams kicking to the corner but too weighty for the chase. Souths have a seven-tackle set with two minutes left.
76 mins: Solid set from Canberra, iced by a superb kick from Wighton that skids out of touch 20m from the Souths line. Terrific game management. And it is reinforced when Graham spills the ball on the first play behind the scrum. That is a coach killer from the young centre.
75 mins: The game has been played in front of Canberra’s posts for most of the past 15 minutes, but Souths haven’t landed many combinations in their outside backs this half, and they fail again, sending the ball to the left on the last tackle only to see the ball miss hands and sail out of touch. Five minutes remaining.
73 mins: Cotric is now at fullback and his first job is to defuse a very nasty Reynolds bomb that bounced awkwardly in-goal.
72 mins: Souths might not get a better opportunity than this... but their attempt to build pressure lasts a matter of seconds after Wighton nails his tackle, sending the ball loose.
The news isn’t so good for Rapana though, who has belatedly gone off after that collision. Raiders onto their third fullback of the night.
71 mins: Deary me! What happened there!? Reynolds dabs a grubber through on the last tackle. Rapana slides in to gather it on the try line but Valemei is there too, and the pair collide! Croker mops up, but he’s miles offside and is lucky to escape a professional foul call. Fortunately for Canberra Rapana does not need to leave for an HIA. That was Keystone Cops stuff, typical of a night full of unlikely errors.
70 mins: More good work at fullback from Rapana, alert to Reynolds’ decent 40-20 effort. Just ten minutes left for Souths to salvage something from this contest. They haven’t scored in this second half.
66 mins: Rapana has slotted seamlessly into fullback since Nicoll-Klokstad went off and he fields another kick soundly and earns a penalty in the process for a high tackle. Canberra go down the other end and after Wighton shows some strength and guile, Valemei is only denied by the sideline in the left corner. Good field position for the Raiders.
64 mins: Souths up the tempo, sensing this is their moment, and they might be right when they earn a set restart under the posts. Walker then takes a questionable option to kick early in the set, gaining only a line drop-out for his trouble. Burgess collects that kick and returns it with interest, steamrollering his way through the Canberra defence only be stopped by a swarm of green jerseys. Reynolds follows up with a snipe that is stopped inches from the line as the pressure arrives in waves. Somehow the Raiders defence holds firm and they regain possession.
There’s a break in play while Burgess receives attention from the trainers after finding himself in an awkward position in a tackle. The big lad is up and about soon enough.
63 mins: But they don’t. Sutton takes out a Souths defender off the ball and this weird match takes another twist courtesy of a needless error.
62 mins: Bosh! Huge tackle from a mob of Raiders on Gagai turns the ball over just inside South Sydney territory on the second tackle in the set. Massive opportunity for Canberra to control the game for a few minutes.
60 mins: Souths haven’t clicked in this second half but they get a set restart 30m out. First they go through hands to the left edge, then they come infield on tackle four, and Burgess almost smuggles his way through but he loses possession reaching out for the line - by a matter of inches - and Canberra breathe a sigh of relief.
TRY! Raiders 18-12 Rabbitohs (Valemei 57)
Canberra, with the benefit of a set restart, hammer their way deep into South Sydney territory, then on the last tackle Valemei accepts a ricochet from a Wighton grubber inches from the line, gathers and dives over in the corner for his first try in the NRL.
Croker nails the sideline conversion to make it a six-point lead.
What a time to score your first #NRL try! #NRLRaidersSouths 18-12 after 58 minutes. #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/gog65lcHNj
— NRL (@NRL) July 25, 2020
Updated
54 mins: Souths can’t make anything of their opportunity initially, but with a turnover at his mercy Croker fumbles to hand the Bunnies another set play. That knock-on was a consequence of the increasingly influential rain at GIO Stadium.
Again Souths can’t make anything of their good fortune, Cook penalised for an unnecessary forward pass. Murray then makes matters worse with a penalty early in Canberra’s set out of defence. This has been an odd, messy contest.
52 mins: Canberra have had some rotten luck with injuries. It would be awful to lose Nicoll-Klokstad for any length of time. Rapana has switched to fullback and he is called into action immediately to field a Reynolds bomb. The Raiders aren’t allowed to gain much ground though thanks to more punishing South Sydney defence. Befuddled, Wighton kicks from midfield but he spanks his clearance miles wide to the left and the Rabbitohs have a seven-tackle set on halfway.
50 mins: It’s the walking wounded out there for a while. Nicoll-Klokstad is off, probably for the night, with what looks to be a broken finger. Ouch! That could be a compound fracture. While Nicholls and Johns are dazed after clashing heads.
PENALTY! Raiders 12-12 Rabbitohs (Croker 47)
Nicoll-Klokstad has had to be smart under some high balls tonight and his hands are good again to keep the home side alive. After his strong effort the Raiders clear their lines successfully and by the time Wighton kicks they’re well over halfway. Nicholls then lazily follows through with a swinging arm long after the kick had passed, inviting Croker to kick for goal, which he accepts, and the scores are tied.
44 mins: The Rabbitohs are solid with their first set of the half and a towering bomb keeps Canberra under the pump when they kick. That pressure increases with some fierce South Sydney tackling denying the Raiders and territory and the Bunnies regather the Steeden on halfway.
42 mins: The Raiders with a solid carry to get play underway and when they look to spread to the left flank Croker is impeded by Paulo, gifting his side a penalty. The second set in dangerous territory is a golden opportunity to lay down an early marker... and it ends feebly with a Williams fumble.
The second half will be underway shortly.
Nothing too dramatic on the stats sheet at the break but Canberra’s 73% completion rate and six errors will not please Ricky Stuart.
For the Raiders, Croker has shone, showing excellent hands to manipulate possession and tremendous feet to turn South Sydney’s defensive line on its heels. For the Bunnies it’s all been about the halfback pairing of Walker and Reynolds who grew into the contest and controlled the last 20 minutes or so of the half.
HT: Raiders 10-12 Rabbitohs
A scrappy half of football that swung one way then the other ends with just two points separating the Raiders and the Rabbitohs.
37 mins: Disallowed try! Superb play by Lui, operating like a halfback, to feed Whitehead on the burst, but the TMO deduced that there was obstruction on Cook to create the hole for the erstwhile try-scorer to steam through. Tough break for Canberra who have had precious little ball in the past 20 minutes.
35 mins: First good opportunity for an age for Canberra after Wighton and Lui force a turnover around 20m from the Rabbitohs’ line.
33 mins: After Wighton loses the ball in contact the Rabbitohs have another drive towards the Raiders line, but the home defence stands firm. The reprieve doesn’t last long though after Sutton fumbles in a gang tackle that a captain’s challenge fails to overturn.
Bad news for Souths - Johnston has failed his HIA and they are down to three on the interchange.
30 mins: The Bunnies gift a set restart to the Raiders and after a barnstorming run from Papalii they almost take advantage in the right corner. Canberra can’t capitalise though and end up stretched in defence repelling first Gagai and then Reynolds with dancing feet.
28 mins: Canberra finally get a set to settle their nerves, but it’s unthreatening. South Sydney, by contrast, look dynamite with ball in hand. Walker almost makes a telling break before he’s scragged, but Reynolds pins the Raiders deep in their own half with a beautiful kick that is a nightmare for Nicoll-Klokstad to deal with.
TRY! Raiders 10-12 Rabbitohs (Reynolds 25)
It’s all Souths for the time being. They’re gifted a penalty, then two set restarts on their first carry after the try. With momentum flowing their way a try looks inevitable, and it comes when Su’A punctures a hole and finds Reynolds running off his inside shoulder to collect the offload and dash under the posts.
Reynolds adds a couple more, to move beyond 1,500 for his Rabbitohs career, second on the all-time list.
And now it's @rendiggiti's turn! #NRLRaidersSouths #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/ZJ2KafQ53P
— NRL (@NRL) July 25, 2020
Updated
TRY! Raiders 10-6 Rabbitohs (Gagai 22)
Third time lucky for Souths. After butchering two clear opportunities out wide they score with their third, Gagai bulldozing his way over in the left corner after some sharp hands across the backline. He head to take Nicoll-Klokstad with him, but he had the strength to do so. That was reward for a series of solid defensive sets in a row, and a reminder of how slippery the Bunnies can be with ball in hand.
Reynolds nails the conversion from the left touchline.
The @SSFCRABBITOHS hit back through Dane Gagai! #NRLRaidersSouths #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/6bUV2p9zsi
— NRL (@NRL) July 25, 2020
Updated
21 mins: Brilliant from Croker, breaking the line then finding the backhand offload but Whitehead can’t hold onto the sharp pass on the outside shoulder and the Bunnies resume in good field position.
19 mins: Johns is absolutely smashed in his first carry by Papalii. Oof, that was a solid hit. The match has settled into a midfield battle for the time being, the tempo slowing after that frantic start.
17 mins: A delay while Johnston goes off for an HIA after having his arms pinned in a tackle from Nicoll-Klokstad and his head driven into the turf. That means a run-out for Jack Johns, of the famous footballing dynasty.
TRY! Raiders 10-0 Rabbitohs (Croker 14)
Canberra push and probe dangerously tackle after tackle, forcing Souths into some desperate defending, but the dam bursts by the end of the set when Wighton’s chip towards the left corner is deflected by a Rabbitohs arm, allowing Croker to pounce, pick-up and dive over in gymnastic fashion. That was a quality finish.
Croker converts a much easier opportunity than his first kick for goal, and the home side are flying.
.@Jarrodcroker did well there! #NRLRaidersSouths #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/2Jl7aZZUGa
— NRL (@NRL) July 25, 2020
Updated
12 mins: This has been a sketchy start from both sides. The Rabbitohs turn it over in midfield allowing the Raiders to turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye through Croker. Canberra pressure is causing stress all across the Souths defence until a professional foul concedes possession but enables the Bunnies to regroup.
10 mins: Wighton loses possession just before halfway, then Souths get a set restart on the 20m line. They should convert the opportunity into a try but after good work from Johnston and Reynolds, Paulo drops a simple pass near the right sideline with a dash to the try line beckoning. That’s twice now the Bunnies have butchered golden scoring opportunities out wide.
TRY! Raiders 4-0 Rabbitohs (Cotric 7)
The Raiders have regrouped after that shaky opening, and a strong burst from Rapana earns a repeat set around halfway. That set ends with Wighton sending a teasing kick high to the right corner that lands in Cotric’s hands after ricocheting off his own face. Strength and speed takes him past Gagai and into the corner for the opening try of the match. The touchline conversion sails wide.
A falcon and a try for Nick Cotric! #NRLRaidersSouths #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/fNHCDmp8vE
— NRL (@NRL) July 25, 2020
Updated
4 mins: The Rabbitohs build nicely in good attacking territory but after engineering an overload on the left flank Walker’s pass finds fresh air instead of an outside back. Let-off for Canberra.
2 mins: Sloppy start from both sides. After a solid first set from the Bunnies they concede a penalty early in Canberra’s first possession, only for the clearing kick to fail to reach touch, returning the ball into Souths hands.
Peeeeeeeeep!
No messing around in the NRL, no sooner had the Sharks and Dragons trouped off and the Raiders were kicking off into Rabbitohs territory.
And here come the Raiders, saluted by around 1,500 supporters, in their bright green with white trim.
Out come the Bunnies onto GIO Stadium in their red and green hoops with black trim. It’s a cool winter’s night in the nation’s capital, and there’s rain around.
The round so far has seen the Eels continue their top-four push with victory over the Tigers, while there’s more trouble in Queensland with the Cowboys falling to the Sea Eagles and the Broncos getting thumped by the Storm. Earlier today the Roosters were made to sweat for their two points by the Warriors while the Sharks forced their way into the top eight with their narrow victory over the Dragons.
Wowee, the end of the Sharks v Dragons clash was a proper nail-biter! Twice in the closing stages the Dragons chased down kicks into the Cronulla in-goal area, but on both occasions the bunker confirmed they failed to ground the ball safely. The Sharks cling on by the skin of their teeth.
Speaking of player movement, it’ll be fun to have Sonny Bill Williams back making headlines.
Ricky Stuart’s threadbare squad will be bolstered from next week after the signing of former Bulldogs back-rower Corey Harawira-Naera was confirmed. The New Zealand international returns to the game after finishing a 10-game suspension for a preseason scandal that resulted in his deregistration from the NRL.
The signing comes a week after the Bulldogs signed Raiders star Nick Cotric from the start of next season.
The big story following the Rabbitohs all week has been the potential signing of teenager Joseph Suaalii, now caught in an expensive tug-of-war with Rugby Australia.
Rabbitohs XVII
Souths are still without the suspended Latrell Mitchell for a second match while Ethan Lowe and James Roberts miss out with injury. Wayne Bennett will be pleased to have 80-minutes to coach and not have to field questions about a certain teenager for a while.
1.Alex Johnston, 2.Corey Allan, 3.Campbell Graham, 4.Dane Gagai, 5.Jaxson Paulo, 6.Cody Walker, 7.Adam Reynolds (c), 8.Junior Tatola, 9.Damien Cook, 10.Thomas Burgess, 11.Jaydn Su’A, 12.Bayley Sironen, 13.Cameron Murray, 14.Mark Nicholls, 15.Hame Sele, 17.Jack Johns, 19.Keaon Koloamatangi
Raiders XVII
The battered Raiders stagger into another contest undermanned, shorn of the likes of Sia Soliola, Bailey Simonsson, Curtis Scott, and most damaging of all, Josh Hodgson. There’s still bags of talent on display though, and coach Ricky Stuart is not going to accept any soft excuses.
1.Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Cotric, 3. Croker, 4. Rapana, 5. Valemei, 6. Wighton, 7. G. Williams, 8. Papalii, 9. Havili, 10. Lui, 11. Young, 12. Whitehead, 13. O’Donnell, 14. Starling, 15. Tapine, 16. Sutton, 17. Smith-Shields
Preamble
Evening all. There’s a surfeit of top level sport in Australia tonight, and the pick of the bunch is the blockbuster NRL clash between the Canberra Raiders and South Sydney Rabbitohs. I’ll be bringing you live coverage from GIO Stadium from 7.35pm.
On their days both these sides are top-four contenders, but coming into this round 11 clash the Raiders sit sixth on the ladder, the Rabbitohs below halfway. Canberra will hope to continue the form that saw them upset the Roosters last time out while the Bunnies will be looking to bounce back from a narrow defeat to the Knights.
I wonder if wonderboy Joseph Suaalii will be watching?
If you want to get in touch at any point, you can find me on Twitter or by email.
