Canberra Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker has broken the club’s all-time try-scoring record in a 36-14 win over the St. George Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium on Sunday night.
Croker scored a try, assisted another and kicked four conversions to help inspire a mighty win over their fierce rivals and clinch the special milestone.
Croker has also become the youngest player to reach 1900 points at just 28 years of age.
Despite Nick Cotric being sent off in the second half, the win sees the Raiders leapfrog the Roosters and move into third place on the NRL ladder.
The Raiders were first to get points on the board after three consecutive penalties allowed Croker to take a penalty kick from right in front.
Nick Cotric scored the first try of the night ten minutes into the game, muscling out of three tackles and stretching over to plant the ball down.,
Six minutes later Jarrod Croker broke through the Dragons’ defence and crashed over to. double the Raiders lead and claim the club’s try-scoring milestone.
Four minutes before half-time forward Joe Tapine dived over the line off the back of a bullet pass from dummy-half Josh Hodgson to score and send the Raiders into the sheds with a 16-point lead.
It didn’t take long for the Raiders to score again in the second half, with Bailey Simonsson on the receiving end of a flick pass from Croker to cross in the corner just two minutes in.
Three minutes later Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad picked up the ball from dummy-half and spun his way through the Dragons’ defence to score the Raiders fifth try of the night.
Four minutes later the Dragons got their first points of the night as forward Korbin Sims crashed over the line to score right next to the posts.
The Dragons got a second try on the board after a string of passes found Luciano Leilua who spotted a gap in the Green Machine’s defence and leaped over to score.
It didn’t get any better for the Raiders, as Cotric was sent off for a dangerous tackle on opposite centre Tim Lafai.
The Raiders got one back, with the two hookers Hodgson and Siliva Havili linking up to send the big Fijian crashing over and score underneath the posts.
Nicoll-Klokstad got his second of the night six minutes later after receiving a short and sharp pass from Hodgson opened up a huge gap for the fullback to easily dive on over.
The Dragons scored a consolation try in the dying stages as fullback Matt Dufty sprinted 90 metres to score, yet ultimately it wasn’t enough as the Raiders ran out 36-14 winners on Sunday night.
Canberra Raiders 36 (Tries: 2 Nicoll-Klokstad, Cotric, Croker, Tapine, Simonsson, Havili. Goals: Croker 4/8) def.
St. George Illawarra Dragons 14 (Tries: Sims, Leilua, Dufty. Goals: Norman 0/1, Lafai 1/1, Host 0/1)
