CANBERRA RAIDERS 32 BRISBANE BRONCOS 22
CALLUM WALKER, GIO Stadium, Saturday
CANBERRA’S brilliant start to the 2025 campaign continued as they eased past a Brisbane side who had demolished the Roosters by 50 points last weekend.
The Raiders couldn’t have made a better start if they tried, debutant Matty Nicholson crossing on eight minutes before Josh Papalii doubled the hosts’ lead shortly after.
Jesse Arthars registered a quick-fire double either side of the half-hour mark to reduce the deficit to two at 12-10, but another Nicholson effort just before half-time sent the Raiders into the break with a 16-10 lead.
Canberra began to turn the screw after half-time, too, Tom Starling nicking a four-pointer, with Matt Timoko crossing just four minutes later.
And when Savelio Tamale rocked up with an effort as the hour approached, the Raiders were firmly out of sight at 32-10.
Shellshocked, the Broncos did rally to make the scoreline look a little more respectable with Arthars dotting down for his hat-trick two minutes from time after Selwyn Cobbo had grabbed his own try, but the Raiders were far too good for their Queensland opponents.
RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Savelio Tamale, 3 Matt Timoko, 4 Sebastian Kris, 5 Albert Hopoate, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Jamal Fogarty, 8 Josh Papalii, 9 Tom Starling, 10 Corey Horsbrugh, 11 Hudson Young, 12 Zac Hosking, 16 Matty Nicholson. Subs (all used): 13 Morgan Smithies, 14 Owen Pattie, 15 Simi Sasagi, 17 Ata Mariota
Tries: Nicholson (8, 38), Papalii (17), Starling (47), Timoko (51), Tamale (59); Goals: Fogarty 4/6
BRONCOS: 1 Reece Walsh, 2 Selwyn Cobbo, 3 Deine Mariner, 4 Gehamat Shibasaki, 5 Jesse Arthars, 6 Ben Hunt, 7 Adam Reynolds, 8 Pat Carrigan, 9 Cory Paix, 10 Payne Haas, 11 Jack Gosiewski, 12 Jordan Riki, 13 Kobe Hetherington. Subs (all used): 14 Billy Walters, 15 Corey Jensen, 16 Xavier Willison, 17 Brendan Piakura
Tries: Arthars (26, 34, 78), Cobbo (65); Goals: Reynolds 3/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-6, 12-10, 16-10; 20-10, 26-10, 32-10, 32-16, 32-22
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Corey Horsburgh; Broncos: Jesse Arthars
Penalty count: 4-6; Half-time: 16-10; Referee: Wyatt Raymond; Attendance: 18,884