The Raiders overcame a horror period which saw them end the first half down to 11 men on Friday night to edge past the Bulldogs 24-20 in the opening game of Magic Round.
After making their opponents pay for two crucial errors inside the opening 20 minutes the Raiders looked set to take a big lead into the break, before it all fell apart in dramatic fashion around the half hour mark.
A calamitous defensive mistake from Jordan Rapana gifted the Bulldogs their first try through Jacob Preston, before the veteran Kiwi committed a professional foul and ended up in the sin bin.
Jacob Preston Try
Josh Papali'i joined him minutes later following a hip drop and with the pair off the field Canterbury-Bankstown took full advantage to add further tries through Stephen Crichton and Matt Burton, which gave them a 16-12 lead at the break.
Things looked even better after Jacob Kiraz crossed two minutes into the second half, but that was to be the last of the reasons to cheer for the Dogs.
The Raiders had drawn first blood through Xavier Savage, directly off a Connor Tracey fumble, before Kiraz spilled the ball coming out of his own end and gifted Sebastian Kris another.
Xavier Savage Try
Rapana's air swing and subsequent collision with Savage followed, leaving Preston to fall on a free ball and score, before referee Ashley Klein sent Rapana and Papali'i to the bin.
Down 20-12 with half an hour to play, Canberra needed something special and got it via teenage prospect Ethan Strange, with the playmaker laying on a crisp ball to send Hudson Young through.
Another effort from Young nine minutes later gave the Green Machine the lead again, with Ricky Stuart's men surviving a nervous final quarter to claim win number six for the year.
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Match Snapshot
- The Raiders have now won their past nine games against the Bulldogs and their past four Magic Round clashes.
- In a game in which both teams scored four tries, it was Jordan Rapana's perfect night off the tee that was the difference, with Matt Burton missing two crucial conversion attempts.
- Joseph Tapine, Danny Levi and Josh Papali'i all went on report in the first half, with the latter also being sent to the sin bin after his hip drop tackle on Viliame Kikau.
Papalii sent to the sin bin for a hip drop
- Bulldogs forward Kurt Mann went on report late in the match for a grapple.
- Rapana also went to the sin bin with four minutes to go in the first half for a professional foul after he tackled Josh Addo-Carr off the ball.
- English forwards Morgan Smithies and Elliott Whitehead were immense for the Raiders defensively, leading the tackle count with 40 and 37 respectively.
Play of the Game
With the game hanging delicately in the balance it was 19-year-old Ethan Strange who stood up for the Raiders, going right to the line before sending Hudson Young through a huge gap. It capped a big game for the teenager which included some big defensive plays.
Hudson Young Try
What They Said
"We wanted to go toe-to-toe with them and I thought we did that for long periods, but when we got our chance to deliver the killer punch at the end we just didn't take it. For where we want to go, we need to take those opportunities at the end. We weren't good enough tonight." – Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo.
Bulldogs: Round 11
"The last two games in a row, those two boys at half (Kaeo Weekes and Ethan Strange) have shown wonderful patience and resilience and toughness. Kaeo and Ethan's defence tonight, outside their attack and their work off the footy, I thought their defence was brilliant." – Raiders coach Ricky Stuart.
Raiders: Round 11
What's Next
The Bulldogs are back in action on Thursday to open Round 12 against the Dragons, who will be fresh off bye, while the Raiders enjoy an eight-day turnaround ahead of hosting the Roosters at GIO Stadium on Saturday.