As It Happened: Raiders V Warriors - NRL

[Archie]

Canberra Raiders V NZ Warriors
Round 25 NRL @ Mt Smart Stadium

As It Happened:

Almost time for kickoff to the NRL in NZ between the Raiders and Warriors. Both teams must win to keep their finals chances alive.

FIRST HALF

Both teams are out on the field at Mt Smart Stadium and we're ready for kickoff! Robinson kicks off for the Raiders and its game on!

Warriors score very early. They got a penalty for holding down on the tackle then went deep on the attack. Taylor gets a short ball and runs straight through the gap to get the try. Huge question mark on the final pass, looked forward. Johnson converts. Warriors lead 6-0 after 3 mins.

Campese puts up a high bomb which the Warriors only just manage to clean up after they let it bounce.

Warriors go close to scoring off a bomb but a double knock on was ruled as both teams failed to take the ball cleanly. Warriors will get the ball back in attack from a scrum. Raiders need to defend well here and hold them out.

Raiders defend well and the kick from Johnson goes dead.

Raiders will get a great chance in attack after a good set and kick at the end which Lock grabbed and then stepped on the touch line.

Milford grubbers into the in goal and Croker dives for it and ends up smashing through the sponsorship signs at the end of the field. Looked dramatic but he's ok.

Raiders force a drop out with a good little grubber from McCrone and tackle by Croker.

Raiders score! They spread it wide and it seemed like nothing was on but Croker saw a little gap and hit it with pace and went straight through the Warriors defence to get the try in the corner. Jarrod tries to convert his own try from the sideline and gets it. Scores are level at 6 all after 18 mins.

Video ref Raiders. Johnson almost passes to the ref and Croker runs through and grabs it then runs the length of the field to score. Try is awarded. Back to back tries for Croker. Not sure what Johnson was doing there, he must have though Gavin Badger was a Warriors player, but we'll take it! Croker converts again. Raiders lead 12-6 after 24 mins.

Warriors hit back and score. Vatuvei makes a break to get the Warriors in good attacking position and then pounces on a grubber kick to get the try at the end of the set. Johnson takes the conversion from the sideline and misses. Raiders lead 12-10 after 30 mins.

Warriors go back to back. Vatuvei gets a double in the space of a couple of minutes after an interchange of short passes down the touch line. Robinson did his best but Manu palmed him off and got the try. Johnson converts. Warriors lead 16-12 after 33 mins.

Warriors force a drop out with a well placed kick and Robinson couldn't get back into the field of play after cleaning it up.

Raiders defend well and hold them out with Milford diving on a rebounding kick. Momentum in this match is swinging back and forth, it's a good game!

Warriors score. Vatuvei gets a hat trick after getting a pass and running into space down the sideline. Robinson put his body on the line but Manu was charging at the line too hard and was impossible for him to stop. Johnson takes the conversion and misses. Warriors lead 20-12 after 39 mins.

Half time Warriors lead Raiders 20-12. It's been a good half of footy by both teams and the Raiders are in with a big chance of winning this in the second half.

SECOND HALF

Warriors kickoff to the second half and restart play in NZ. Warriors lead Raiders 20-12.

Warriors go on the attack early in the second half but can't take the kick they put up at the end of the set. Raiders now get a penalty and will get a good chance in attack.

Warriors made a long break down field but good desperate cover defence from the Raiders forces a lost ball. Great chase by Tupou, Robinson, Croker and Papalii.

Warriors score off a blatant forward pass. Johnson shows good footwork to get through the line after the pass and has too much speed and runs around Robinson to get the try. Johnson converts. Warriors lead 26-12 after 50 mins.

Warriors score again. McCrone throws a pass which lands right on the chest of Johnson and he runs away to score at the other end of the field. Robinson chased him hard and was gaining ground on him but Johnson had too much of a head start. Shaun converts his own try and Warriors lead Raiders 32-12 after 54 mins.

Warriors score again. Johnson kicks through for himself and beats the Raiders chase to get the try. The Raiders heads are down after that previous intercept try. Johnson converts. Warriors lead 38-12 after 57 mins.

Video ref Raiders, ref thinks try. This was a great try! Milford slices through the line after collecting a Campese chip kick and then offloads to Croker who steps through the line and reaches out to score. It looks like it might be ruled obstruction. McIllwrick blocked one of the Warriors from getting to Milford, not that he would have stopped him. No try, penalty to Warriors.

Warriors go close to scoring but lose it cold right before the line.

Warriors score. Mannering gets a short ball from Johnson close to the line and runs into the hole to get the try. Johnson converts. Warriors lead 44-12 with 15 mins left.

Warriors score. Lumape gets the pass and puts the foot down and runs through some soft Raiders defence to score. It's getting a bit nasty now! Warriors lead 50-12 with 11 mins left.

Raiders go close to scoring but the Warriors defence just manages to shut the attack down.

The Raiders were playing really well in the first half but its just gone horribly wrong in the second half.

Raiders score! A very cleaver play off the back of the scrum from Robinson sees Croker dash through and pick it up and force his way over the line to get a hat trick. Jarrod has played very well today. Milford takes the conversion misses. Croker was too tired to kick. Warriors lead 50-16 after 77 mins.

Full time Warriors defeat Raiders 50-16.

Full Time: Warriors 50 - Raiders 16

Source: RNA Game Day - raiders.net.au/gameday