Raider Reuben helps Bushrangers winFor an updated ladder for the Canberra Raiders Cup
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Click HereA hat-trick of tries to Raiders SG Ball flyer Johnny Reuben has helped the Tuggeranong Bushrangers to a 36-10 victory over the Gungahlin Bulls on Sunday.
Although Gungahlin matched their opponents in the forwards, they lacked direction with regular playmaker Richie Allen missing from the line-up.
The Bulls have now lost three straight matches and are looking the most likely to take home the unwanted wooden spoon at season’s end.
Tuggeranong are now locked in a five way battle for this year’s Minor Premiership with only three points separating first to fifth with two rounds remaining.
The Bushrangers finished the first half leading 16-6 following two tries to Rueben and an impressive solo try from fullback Michael Brophy.
The crowd at Greenway Oval erupted when Brophy retrieved a grubber-kick inches from his own dead ball line, beat several defenders and raced the length of the field to score under the posts.
Brophy backed up that solo effort with a second length of the field try in the 54th minute which has brought him into equal first position in the top try-scoring list for the competition.
Gungahlin scored their two tries through Jarrad Kennedy in the first half, and Joe Onorato in the second which was instigated from a clever dummy-half run from their hooker James Ulrick.
Two minutes after setting up his side’s second try, Ulrick was helped from the field with what looked like a serious ankle injury.
The Bushrangers finished the match with two unanswered tries to Mark Tuaati and Aaron Wilkens in the 65th and 76th minutes respectively.
Tuggeranong’s captain-coach Jarred Teka kicked four goals while Gungahlin’s Aiden Greenwood kicked the Bulls only goal.
In other matches, Belconnen United Scholars moved to the top of the ladder with a 34-18 victory over the Queanbeyan Blues, and Yass Magpies have fallen out of finals contention following their 28-16 loss to the Queanbeyan Kangaroos.
Source: raiders.com.au