CANBERRA RAIDERS 44 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 18
TOM SMITH, GIO Stadium, Sunday
CANBERRA took another stride to the minor premiership with a runaway win over Newcastle.
The Knights pegged the Raiders back to head to the sheds level at 18-all, before the Green Machine slammed on four second-half tries – including two to strike centre Matthew Timoko.
The Raiders are hunting their first minor premiership since 1990, when coach Ricky Stuart was wearing the number-seven jumper – and their ninth straight win keeps them on track.
Missing stars Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best and Fletcher Sharpe, Adam O’Brien’s side couldn’t maintain their resistance in the Australian capital.
Kaeo Weekes completed a sizzling team try to get the Raiders on the board first, but Leo Thompson’s brilliant offload handed Kai Pearce-Paul the reply.
Simi Sasagi strolled through the Knights’ goal-line defence before Greg Marzhew scampered into the left corner.
Timoko sent Xavier Savage away and Newcastle responded yet again through a Fletcher Hunt intercept on the stroke of half-time.
However, the second half was entirely lime green.
First Tom Starling exploited some chaos caused by a Jamal Fogarty bomb, before Timoko combined with his halfback for his first.
Fogarty’s high kicks then drew an offside penalty he turned into two points and gifted Noah Martin his first NRL try.
And Timoko dummied his way over late for some cream on the cake.
RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Jed Stuart, 3 Matthew Timoko, 4 Simi Sasagi, 5 Xavier Savage, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Jamal Fogarty, 8 Josh Papalii, 9 Tom Starling, 10 Joseph Tapine, 11 Hudson Young, 12 Zac Hosking, 13 Corey Horsburgh. Subs (all used): 14 Owen Pattie, 15 Noah Martin, 16 Morgan Smithies, 17 Ata Mariota
Tries: Weekes (10), Sasagi (25), Savage (38), Starling (47), Timoko (54, 73), Martin (67); Goals: Fogarty 8/8
KNIGHTS: 1 Dane Gagai, 2 Dom Young, 3 Fletcher Hunt, 22 Kyle McCarthy, 5 Greg Marzhew, 14 Tyson Gamble, 7 Jack Cogger, 8 Jacob Saifiti, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Leo Thompson, 11 Jermaine McEwen, 12 Kai Pearce-Paul, 13 Phoenix Crossland. Subs (all used): 6 Jackson Hastings, 15 Mat Croker, 16 Tyson Frizell, 17 Jack Hetherington
Tries: Pearce-Paul (18), Marzhew (35), Hunt (40); Goals: Gagai 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 12-6, 12-12, 18-12, 18-18; 24-18, 30-18, 32-18, 38-18, 44-18
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Jamal Fogarty; Knights: Kai Pearce-Paul
Penalty count: 2-6; Half-time: 18-18; Referee: Wyatt Raymond; Attendance: 11,068