The Canberra Raiders have recorded a disappointing loss against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the NSW Cup, falling to a 39-26 defeat at GIO Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
After taking an early 22-0 lead the Raiders would not be able to hold on, with the Bulldogs mounting a comeback after scoring their first try in the 32nd minute.
Despite the defeat starting props Peter Hola and Ata Mariota were stand outs for the home side, whilst Frawley showed moments of brilliance by scoring and assisting a try.
It was the Raiders who were able to get off to the perfect start, with Elijah Anderson crossing over in the second minute for the home side’s first try of the afternoon.
The centre would easily score in the left-hand corner after a perfectly weighted pass from Frawley. Brad Schneider made no mistakes with the sideline conversion, giving the Raiders an early 6-0 lead.
After a brilliant run from Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad gave Canberra some much needed field position, the Raiders would go over again after Frawley used his destructive running game to pierce the Bulldogs’ defensive line.
The halfback would score under the posts, with Schneider’s conversion giving the home side a 12-0 lead in the 15th minute.
Two early tries soon turned into three when Adrian Trevilyan crossed over just three minutes later, throwing a dummy two metres out before forcing his way over directly from dummy half.
Schneider’s third successful conversion attempt would give the Raiders an 18-0 lead in the 20th minute.
Schneider would soon get in on the try scoring act himself, with the five-eighth using his brute strength to cross for the side’s fourth. The youngster would collect the ball directly from a scrum 20 metres out, dragging three Bulldogs with him as he pushed his way over the line.
He would not be able to convert from the sideline, leaving the Raiders leading 22-0 in the 23rd minute.
The Bulldogs would finally get on the scoreboard off the back of an offload from second-rower Reece Hoffman, finding Creedence Toia 20 metres from the line.
The centre burst through the Raiders last line of defence, scoring under the posts. Brandon Wakeham would convert, leaving the away side trailing 22-6 in the 33rd minute.
It would take just two minutes for Canterbury to score their second, this time finding space down the right-hand side.
After some confusion from the Raiders’ left edge, the ball would find itself in the hands of Bailey Biondi-Odo who would comfortably score under the posts in the 35th minute.
Another successful conversion would see the Bulldogs continue to pull back the Raiders, with the score now 22-12.
Just on the stroke of half-time Canterbury would cross again, this time at the hands of Jackson Topine.
An unsuccessful conversion from Wakeham left both teams heading to the sheds with the match in the balance; the Raiders leading 22-16.
It would be the Bulldogs who would get the first after the break, with a wicked bounce deceiving Nicoll-Klokstad only to find itself in the hands of Hoffman to score.
Wakeham’s conversion would pull the score line level at 22-all in the 44th minute.
Just a minute later Harrison Edwards found space on the right edge for the Bulldogs, crossing untouched in the 46th minute. Wakeham’s successful conversion would give the away side their first lead of the afternoon, taking the score to 28-22.
The Bulldogs perfect second half continued, scoring their third in just seven minutes following a bustling run from Jeral Skelton to cross in the corner in the 47th minute.
Canterbury would convert, extending the score to 34-22 in favour of the Bulldogs.
A run out of dummy half from Ryan Gray saw the away side grab their seventh try of the afternoon, with the interchange utility burying his way over the line. The conversion would be missed, leaving the Bulldogs leading 38-22 in the 62nd minute.
Some quick thinking from Steven Numambo saw the winger take a quick tap after a Raiders penalty, with the youngster crossing for his first in the 71st minute.
The conversion attempt would be unsuccessful, with the Bulldogs leading 38-26.
A 78th minute field goal from Biondi-Odo would seal the win for the away side, with the Bulldogs taking a 39-26 victory.
The Raiders will be looking to turn their fortunes around as they push towards the finals when they come up against the St George-Illawarra Dragons at Raiders Belconnen next Saturday at 3pm.
