Raiders punish Warriors

The Raiders have romped to comprehensive 38-12 victory over a sloppy Warriors outfit on Saturday night at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth.

Canberra dominated the majority of the 80 minutes, scoring three tries directly from Warriors handling errors in their own half, on a night where they crossed for six four-pointers in greasy conditions.

Up 22-0 at the break, the Green Machine didn't let up in the second period, as they registered their first win in their last six games against the Kiwi side.

The early minutes suggested a grinding affair was on the cards, but once Canberra got over the top of the Warriors' pack in the middle the points quickly followed.

Blake Austin and Joseph Leilua both got over before the half hour mark, with Jarrod Croker converting both and adding a penalty for a 14-0 lead.

Croker then scored a try of his own on 36 minutes, breezing past a would-be tackle from Blake Ayshford for his 13th try in as many games against the Warriors.

A penalty in front of the sticks right on half-time allowed Croker to take his first-half points tally to 16 and give Canberra a 22-0 lead.

Whatever Warriors coach Andrew McFadden said in the sheds, it had an immediate effect on the intensity his side ran out with in the second stanza.

After a couple of barnstorming hit-ups, the Warriors caught the raiders short down the right where Shaun Johnson strolled over for a converted try.

But errors at the other end of the field quickly undid that good work, with Josh Papalii powering through the Warriors' frail edge defence.

Further errors coming out of their own half from Issac Luke and Ayshford led to four-pointers via Josh Hodgson and Edrick Lee in the final 15 minutes, to blow the score out to 38-6.

An Ayshford try six minutes from time did nothing but make the scoreboard a little easier to digest for Warriors fans, as the Raiders clocked up their second-biggest victory of the season.

The 38-12 result lifts the Green Machine back into the top eight ahead of hosting the Bulldogs next Sunday, while the Warriors will have a sombre week off with the bye.

Canberra Raiders 38 (Blake Austin, Joseph Leilua, Jarrod Croker, Joseph Leilua, Josh Hodgson, Edrick Lee tries; Jarrod Croker 7 goals) defeated Warriors 12 (Shaun Johnson, Blake Ayshford tries; Shaun Johnson 2 goals) at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth. Half-time: Raiders 22-0.

 

Author: 
NRL.com