Youthful Raiders overpower Roosters in NRL win
Canberra's generation next have stood tall in a come-from-behind 26-24 win over the Sydney Roosters that has further strengthened the Raiders' claims as genuine premiership contenders.
Without first-choice hooker Tom Starling (suspension) and Manly-bound halfback Jamal Fogarty (groin), the Raiders' youthful spine showed calmness and composure to run the Roosters down at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.
Debutant halfback Ethan Sanders didn't look out of place in his first game for the Raiders, while Owen Pattie kicked a 40/20 and set up a try with a clever grubber kick in what was arguably his finest NRL game to date.
Fullback Kaeo Weekes, who was the most senior member of the Raiders spine with just 42 NRL games to his name, then set up lively five-eighth Ethan Strange for the match-winning try with a bust from inside Canberra's half.
The win leaves the Raiders second with an 10-3 record while the Roosters, who led by 10 points with 25 minutes left, were made to rue a game where they failed to turn the screw.
Trent Robinson's side looked set to pick up from where they left off last week when Sandon Smith found winger Mark Nawaqanitawase with a bomb after just four minutes.
There was some concern as to whether Nawaqanitawase cleanly grounded the ball but bunker official Chris Butler stuck with the on-field awarding of a try.
Without Fogarty, Canberra's attack was cumbersome for much of the first half and it took the Raiders 35 play-the-balls in the Roosters 20m zone before they found a way over the line.
Winger Xavier Savage struck for the Green Machine in the 31st minute and the Raiders looked to have nabbed another just before halftime when Simi Sasagi started and finished a brilliant flowing move.
But hooker Pattie was deemed to have been offside in the build-up, allowing the Roosters to go up the other end and finish the first half with a James Tedesco try and a 12-4 halftime lead.
Pattie kicked a 40/20 that allowed Sasagi to score early in the second half before Daniel Tupou helped the Roosters re-establish a 10-point buffer with a 55th minute try.
But just as it looked as if the game might slip from the Raiders' grasp they pulled two tries out of nowhere in the space of four minutes.
First, rookie winger Savelio Tamale tiptoed the sideline and flung a speculative offload back infield for a supporting Hudson Young to crash over.
Then Pattie stabbed a grubber kick to the in-goal and captain Joe Tapine pounced on the loose ball.
Strange finished Weekes's 73rd minute break to open some breathing space for Canberra before Rob Toia nabbed a consolation try for the Roosters.
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