The NRL got back to business at Campbelltown Stadium on Friday night after a sensational Origin clash in Perth that saw the Maroons level the series.
Wests Tigers and the Raiders had more than a passing interest in Game Two with Jarome Luai and Hudson Young playing their part in the Blues stunning second half comeback before falling short 26-24 to the Maroons.
Both backed up just 48 hours after the Perth game in a bid to help their team secure two valuable competition points and played instrumental roles in the gripping contest.
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'From a strong Raiders family': Jed Stuart jersey presentation
The Tigers had home ground advantage but the Raiders were fresh off their first bye of the season and raced to a 16-0 lead at halftime.
However, the Tigers threw everything at them in the second half and fell agonising short, with Canberra hanging on for a 16-12 win.
After their 12th win of the season, the Raiers are perfectly poised to cement a top-four position with games against Newcastle and the Dragons before another bye in Round 19.
Follow all the Round 16 action on NRL.com's live blog.
Wests Tigers v Raiders at Campbelltown Stadium
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Wests Tigers v Raiders – Round 16, 2025
Match: Wests Tigers v Raiders
Round 16 -
home Team
Wests Tigers
14th Position
away Team
Raiders
2nd Position
Venue: Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Sydney
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Wests Tigers – Round 16
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Raiders – Round 16
Stats all folks
- In proof that it was an end-to-end match, 11 Wests Tigers players carried the ball for more than 100m, along with six Raiders players.
- Every Wests Tigers back except Heath Mason ran more than 100m with the ball, led by fullback Jahream Bula (212m) and including interchange utility Latu Fainu (108m).
- Tigers forwards Terrell May (180m), Fonua Pole (137m), Samueala Fainu (117m) and Sione Fainu (101m) also carried the ball more than 100m.
- In comparison, the Raiders have six players who ran more than 100m with the ball, led by forward Corey Horsburgh (140m).
- Wests Tigers centre Adam Doueihi made two line breaks and nine tackle breaks. Fellow centre Starford Toa made nine linebreaks.
- The Tigers had 54% possession and completed 34 of their 48 sets with the ball, compared to 31 of 35 sets by the Raiders.
- Both sides made four line breaks apiece; four by the Raiders in the first half and four by the Tigers in the second half. The Tigers made 47 tackle breaks to 25 by the Raiders.
Fulltime summary
The Raiders are on track to go to the top of the NRL ladder after repelling a gritty Wests Tigers fightback to hang on for their 12th win of the season at Campbelltown Stadium. Canberra have now won more games than any other team this season and have two byes in hand. Leading 16-0 at halftime, the Raiders won 16-12 in a game of two halves. It was a special night for the club and coach Ricky Stuart, whose son Jed made his NRL debut. Jed Stuart was heavily involved and scored a try, but it was inspirational captain Joeseph Tapine who was instrumental for the win with a try saving tackle, a try, a crucial second half strip and three successful captain's challenge. Jarome Luai was also inspirational for Wests Tigers after backing up from Origin in Perth 48 hours earlier.
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From the field: Jed Stuart
78 min: Luai appeared to have given the Tigers one last chance with a perfectly placed grubber kick that was knocked on by Weekes but Tapine won another captain's challenge.
73 min: Tapine has won another captain's challenge after a penalty against Xavier Savage for a leg pull on Skelton was reversed due to a hair pull by the Tigers winger.
72 min: Tapine has come up with another potentially game turning play after stripping the ball from Twal as the Raiders defend their line.
70 min: Bula and Skelton have dragged Weekes into the Raiders in-goal after he fielded a Luai grubber in a show of determination by Wests Tigers. This is a high quality game.
68 min: Jahream Bula was tackled just millimetres short of the tryline and Terrell may was denied because of a forward pass as the Raiders hang on. The Tigers have made five second half line breaks; the Raiders made four in the first half.
63 min: The Tigers have the momentum and have forced an error through Jed Stuart but the Raiders defence is holding firm.
55 min: Luai has got the Tigers back into the game after sending Doueihi racing into the clear with a deft pass and then backing up after Alex Twal was tackled to shift the ball for Starford Toa to score in the right corner. Doueihi converted from the sideline. Raiders 16 Tigers 12.
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Starford To'a Try
50 min: Secondrower Alex Seyfarth has been rewarded after racing through to swoop on a Luai in-goal grubber. Adam Doueihi converted from out wide. Raiders 16 Tigers 6.
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Alex Seyfarth Try
44 min: The Tigers have come out with renewed energy and a determination to test the Raiders defence.
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Go Alex Twal!
Halftime summary
It's not often that you identify a turning point almost as it happened - or so early in a match - but Raiders captain Joseph Tapine's try saving effort to prevent Jarome Luai from scoring was HUGE. To rub salt into the wounds, Tapine then scored at the other end and the early momentum that the Tigers had evaporated. Jed Stuart has had a debut to remember, preventing a 40/20, scoring a try of his own and then coming up with a try saving tackle. Tom Starling, Ethan Strange and Seb Kris are constant threats for the Tigers defence, while the home side can't find a way through the defence of the Green Machine, who are genuine premiership contenders. Canberra have completed 18 of 20 sets, while Wests Tigers have completed 20 of 24 and the Raiders have made four line breaks.
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Raiders defence stands solid
40 min: The half ended with three kicks in the 20 seconds as Jahream Bula chipped ahead for himself 10 metres out from Wests Tigers line, then Xavier Savage put in a short attacking and Bula fielded the ball before kicking again.
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A game of soccer breaks out on half time
32 min: Corey Horsburgh has been penalised in front of his posts for a one-on-one strip on Terrell May.
26 min: Tom Starling has scored off his own kick after Kris burst down the left side before sending Strange racing away. The playmaker passed inside to Starling, who toed ahead and pounced on the loose ball after Tigers winger Jeral Skelton fumbled in-goal. Fogarty converted. Raiders 16-0.
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Tom Starling Try
18 min: Jed Stuart has scored his first NRL try after a Kaeo Weekes break stretched the defence. Five-eighth Ethan Strange was tackled but the Raiders shifted the ball to the left through Seb Kris to the Raiders rookie. Fogarty missed the sideline conversion. Raiders 10-0
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Jed Stuart Try
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Weekes is away!
15 min: Tapine scored at the other end after winning a captain's challenge and then backing up to receive a short ball from frontrow partner Josh Papali'i to cross near the posts. Jamaal Fogarty converted. Raiders 6-0
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Joseph Tapine Try
13 min: Luai was denied a try after great defensive work from Raiders captain Joseph Tapine to wrestle him back as he reached out to place the ball following a Terrell May offload. Luai ground the ball on Tapine's leg and lost control of it.
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It's all happening in goal!
8 min: Jed Stuart had his first touch in controversial circumstances after fielding an Api Koroisau kick to prevent a 40/20.
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Stuart saves a 40/20
5 min. Early back-to-back penalties against Jahream Bula for mid-air challenges chasing kicks.
The last word
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Ricky Stuart: "We've had a couple of players step up and perform really well"
Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart: "It's a great moment for Jed, but at the end of the day we've got to win a game of footy. Every coach says I want to start well, so that's important, but we're showing that we can hold on and we can be patient, and play a long game. They had a good rest, they had five days. It was a long time before we had the bye but we definitely needed it and it's served us well".
On Wests Tigers: "They've be desperate. They are an unorthodox team at times, I think they've got the highest offloads in the competition and they play second phase footy pretty well, so we've got to try and eliminate that through good solid structure in defence, but at the end of the day we we've just got to get our game on and let them worry about us".
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Jarome Luai: "I'm pretty refreshed and ready to go"
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall: "The Raiders have been really outstanding this year, they've been tough and physical, so we got to match that. They've been playing really tough and scoring some great tries through some individual brilliance, and they're a team that I don't think they get the credit they deserve for how much effort and energy they put into their game."
On Jarome Luai: "He got in late last night with the rest of the team, had a massage and we just checked him this morning to make sure everything is okay. When you trust your senior players, you leave it in their hands and he's confident he can do the job, so he's in there. He'll add a lot of energy to us, but at the same time we've got backup options on the bench if we need it".
Team news
Wests Tigers: NSW five-eighth Jarome Luai will back up just two days after Wednesday's Origin clash. Latu Fainu is on the bench. Prop Fonua Pole is on track to complete his comeback from a knee injury, and will start from the bench in a late switch with Sione Fainu. Alex Twal returns from a concussion at lock.
Raiders: NSW Origin forward Hudson Young will back up in a major boost for the Raiders after getting through 46 minutes on Wednesday night. Jed Stuart makes his NRL debut in place of the injured Savelio Tamale as Canberra return from the bye. No late changes.
Stat Attack
- The Tigers have won only one of their past nine games against the Raiders.
- The Raiders have won their last five away games.
- Wests Tigers winger Sunia Turuva has scored 10 tries in his last 12 games.
- Raiders centre Sebastian Kris will make his 100th NRL appearance.
- Wests Tigers have won only two out of seven home games this season.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.