WESTS TIGERS 0 CANBERRA RAIDERS 6
CALLUM WALKER, Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Friday

CANBERRA edged their sudden-death battle with Wests to make it to their first-ever NRLW semi-final.

Both sides went into this one in uncharted territory, with neither having qualified for the play-offs in their short history.

And the anxiety from both sides to impress was evident throughout, as only Isabelle Waterman’s 17th-minute effort and a Zahara Temara penalty proved the difference.

The 6-0 margin was the lowest-scoring finals match in the history of the NRLW, but there was no shortage of excitement as the knockouts kicked off in dramatic style.

Canberra fullback Sheridan Gallagher ran for over 200 metres whilst England forward Hollie-Mae Dodd was at her imperious best, as Kezie Apps’ 50th career appearance ended in defeat.

The Raiders were on top throughout the opening quarter, with Gallagher and Dodd going close before Waterman broke the deadlock halfway through the first half, taking a Leianne Tufuga pass to go over in the corner.

Temara couldn’t convert, but Canberra should have struck again moments before half-time as Chanté Temara chased a Krystal Blackwell grubber, only to knock on over the line.

As it was, Temara, who was at the heart of everything the Raiders did well, converted a second-half penalty for a ball steal as the Tigers just couldn’t breach a steely Canberra defence.

TIGERS: 1 Caitlin Turnbull, 2 Harmony Crichton, 3 Rikeya Horne, 4 Portia Bourke, 5 Lily Rogan, 6 Losana Lutu, 7 Raecene McGregor, 8 Sarah Togatuki, 9 Salma Nour, 10 Shaniece Monschau, 11 Kezie Apps, 12 Shaylee Bent, 13 Holli Wheeler. Subs (all used): 14 Christian Pio, 15 Shenai Lendill, 16 Jetaya Faifua, 17 Brooke Talataina

RAIDERS: 1 Sheridan Gallagher, 2 Isabella Waterman, 3 Leianne Tufuga, 4 Bobbi Law, 5 Mackenzie Wiki, 6 Krystal Blackwell, 7 Zahara Temara, 8 Chloe Saunders, 9 Chanté Temara, 10 Sophie Holyman, 11 Jordyn Preston, 12 Charlotte Basham, 13 Hollie-Mae Dodd. Subs: 14 Emma Barnes, 15 Grace Kemp, 16 Lili Boyle, 17 Grace Kukutai

Tries: Waterman (17); Goals: Temara 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4; 0-6

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
Tigers: Losana Lutu; Raiders: Hollie-Mae Dodd

Penalty count: 5-10; Half-time: 0-4; Referee: Belinda Sharpe; Attendance: 2,898