CANBERRA RAIDERS 40 DOLPHINS 28
STEPHEN IBBETSON, GIO Stadium, Sunday
CANBERRA completed a remarkable turnaround for the second week running as they scored 30 unanswered second-half points to overhaul the Dolphins.
After coming from 16 points down to beat Gold Coast the previous week, the Raiders this time trailed 10-28 at the break before Adam Fogarty took control to mastermind a win that takes them up to third in the league.
The Dolphins were full value for their advantage, earned after falling behind early to a Savelio Tamale effort – brilliantly set up by Sebastian Kris – while Kodi Nikorima was in the sin bin.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Herbie Farnworth finished well-worked tries before Daniel Saifiti charged over, suffering a shoulder injury in the process.
While Kaeo Weekes got some points back the Raiders, further scores from Jamayne Isaako and Jake Averillo gave them a mountain to climb.
But climb it they did, starting with a close-range Zac Hosking effort and continuing with Ethan Strange’s try off a Joseph Tapine offload.
Matty Nicholson’s fifth try of the year, supporting a Matthew Timoko break, brought things all square in the 66th minute and Fogarty’s grubber was fumbled for Kris to edge them in front with eight to go.
Fogarty then had the final word with an individual try plus a long-range penalty after the hooter.
RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Savelio Tamale, 3 Matthew Timoko, 4 Sebastian Kris, 5 Xavier Savage, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Jamal Fogarty, 8 Corey Horsbrugh, 9 Tom Starling, 10 Joseph Tapine, 11 Hudson Young, 12 Matty Nicholson, 12 Morgan Smithies. Subs (all used): 14 Owen Pattie, 15 Zac Hosking, 16 Josh Papalii, 17 Ata Mariota
Tries: Tamale (10), Weekes (31), Hosking (50), Strange (61), Nicholson (66), Kris (72), Fogarty (79); Goals: Fogarty 6/8
DOLPHINS: 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 2 Jamayne Isaako, 3 Jake Averillo, 4 Herbie Farnworth, 5 Jack Bostock, 6 Kodi Nikorima, 7 Isaiya Katoa, 8 Daniel Saifiti, 15 Ray Stone, 10 Francis Molo, 11 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, 12 Tom Gilbert, 13 Mark Nicholls. Subs (all used): 16 Connelly Lemuelu, 17 Josh Kerr, 18 Kenny Bromwich, 19 Sean O’Sullivan
Tries: Tabuai-Fidow (14), Farnworth (20), Saifiti (27), Isaako (35), Averillo (40); Goals: Isaako 4/5; Sin bin: Nikorima (8) – high tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6, 4-12, 4-18, 10-18, 10-24, 10-28; 16-28, 22-28, 28-28, 32-38, 38-28, 40-28
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Jamal Fogarty; Dolphins: Tom Gilbert
Penalty count: 5-5; Half-time: 10-28; Referee: Ashley Klein; Attendance: 15,686
