Raiders end drought against TigersA five-star performance from skipper Terry Campese has lifted Canberra to a drought-breaking 30-16 victory over a disappointing Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium on Monday night.
Campese, out to bury an injury-marred 2011 campaign, set up two tries and scored another as the Raiders beat the Tigers for the first time in four years.
It was Raiders coach David Furner's first success against former mentor Tim Sheens in eight attempts.
The visitors trailed 12-10 at half-time but completely dominated the second half to race in three tries and leave the Tigers in their wake.
Rated competition favourites at the start of the season, the Tigers are languishing near the foot of the table with a 1-3 record.
They simply had no answer for Canberra's speed, precision or enterprise.
Campese was the ringleader but he had plenty of willing accomplices, with centre Jarrod Croker claiming two tries and five goals.
But the win may have come at a cost, representative prop David Shillington leaving the field with a torn pec late in the match.
Tigers lock Chris Heighington ran out for his record-equalling 185th match in Tigers colours but he had nothing to celebrate early.
Running the ball on the last tackle, Campese caught the defence in two minds and found Josh McCrone angling back on the inside.
Heighington was one of the players beaten as the speedy No.7 light-footed his way to the line.
Croker's conversion gave the visitors a 6-0 lead after just eight minutes.
It was left up to Benji Marshall to drag the Tigers into the game and he didn't disappoint.
He produced a lovely delayed short ball to send Gareth Ellis in and then landed the conversion to level it up at 6-all.
If it works once why not a second time and so it was as Marshall-Ellis combined again to produce a controversial try on 32 minutes.
Ellis was put in another hole by his skipper and offloaded as he was cut down short of the line.
Croker and Jacob Miller tussled for the ball, propelling it back into the in-goal area.
The Raiders showed little interest in cleaning up, allowing Miller to ground the ball and leaving the video referee to decide exactly what happened.
He ruled the ball came off Croker and awarded a benefit of the doubt try, much to Canberra's disgust.
Marshall added the extras for a 12-6 lead but the Tigers were unable to hold onto their advantage.
Marshall was this time the villain, his poor grubber kick snapped up by Campese 12m out from the Raiders line and quickly shovelled on to a flying Croker.
The head-geared centre took the ball 70m out and beat Beau Ryan in a thrilling dash to the line.
Exhausted, Croker was unable to convert from the sideline and the Tigers went to the break 12-10 up.
But within six minutes of the resumption that advantage had evaporated
Sam Mataora carried two defenders across the line for his first try in senior company, putting Canberra in front by four.
Croker stretched that advantage to six with a penalty on the hour but it was a skinny lead given the Green Machine's dominance.
Further tries to Croker and Campese put the game to bed.
Canberra's Jack Wighton (use of forearm) and Chris Lawrence (dangerous throw) both finished the game on report.
Wests Tigers 16Tries: Ellis, Miller, Moltzen
Goals: Marshall 2
Canberra 30Tries: Croker 2, McCrone, Mataora, Campese
Goals: Croker 5
Crowd: 14,388
Source: Sportal
Topic: Raiders End Their Hoodoo Against Tigers
