CANBERRA RAIDERS 30 BRISBANE BRONCOS 34
CALLUM WALKER, GIO Stadium, Friday

BRISBANE ended Canberra’s hopes of making it to the NRL finals with a rip-roaring victory in the capital.

With the Broncos effectively playing for nothing given their inability to finish in the top eight, the Raiders were expected to close the gap to the North Queensland Cowboys in eighth.

However, a Payne Haas-inspired Brisbane had other ideas.

Billy Walters crossed after nine minutes before Kaeo Weekes pegged the Broncos back shortly after.

Ata Mariota sent Canberra into the lead around the midway point in the first half, but efforts from Ezra Mam and Grant Anderson made it 16-12 to the visitors, despite Patrick Carrigan being in the sin bin for a dangerous tackle.

Even then, though, the hosts had the final say of the half when Weekes grabbed his second on the hooter.

The topsy-turvy nature of the fixture was smashed just after half-time as Canberra raced into a 14-point lead.

Owen Pattie dotted down before Zac Hosking notched his own four-pointer on the hour.

But the Broncos finished strongly out of nowhere, Haas and Anderson reducing the deficit to just two with 13 minutes remaining.

And Hayze Perham struck from dummy-half with six minutes to go to cap off a wonderful comeback.

RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Jed Stuart, 3 Simi Sasagi, 4 Matthew Timoko, 5 Xavier Savage, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Ethan Sanders, 8 Josh Papalii, 9 Owen Pattie, 10 Joseph Tapine, 11 Zac Hosking, 12 Matty Nicholson, 13 Ata Mariota. Subs: 14 Tom Starling, 15 Joe Roddy, 16 Corey Horsburgh, 17 Daine Laurie, 18 Vena Patuki-Case (not used), 19 Savelio Tamale (not used)

Tries: Weekes (17, 40), Mariota (23), Pattie (43), Hosking (61); Goals: Sanders 5/5

BRONCOS: 1 Hayze Perham, 2 Josiah Karapani, 3 Kotoni Staggs, 4 Deine Mariner, 5 Grant Anderson, 6 Ezra Mam, 7 Ben Hunt, 8 Xavier Willison, 9 Billy Walters, 10 Payne Haas, 11 Jaiyden Hunt, 12 Jordan Riki, 13 Patrick Carrigan. Subs: 14 Blake Mozer, 15 Aublix Tawha (not used), 16 Jack Gosiewski, 17 Va’a Semu, 18 Thomas Duffy (not used), 19 Gehamat Shibasaki (not used)

Tries: Walters (9), Mam (27), Anderson (33, 67), Haas (64), Perham (74); Goals: Perham 5/6; Sin bin: Carrigan (24) – dangerous tackle

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 12-6, 12-12, 12-16, 18-16; 24-16, 30-16, 30-22, 30-28, 30-34

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Joseph Tapine; Broncos: Payne Haas

Penalty count: 5-1; Half-time: 18-16; Referee: Adam Gee; Attendance: 20,512