The Canberra Raiders have defeated the Parramatta Eels 41-8 at GIO Stadium on a Sunday evening in the Nation’s Capital.
A strong defensive display, combined with enterprising attacking play has seen the Green Machine break a stretch of two losses and claim their third victory of the season in the process.
The Raiders looked to have opened the scoring through James Schiller, however the referee deemed the last pass from Xavier Savage to go forward.
A penalty directly in front saw the Raiders elect to take an attempt at a penalty goal which saw the home side take first points.
Raiders fullback Jordan Rapana left the field in the opening five minutes of the contest with a lower leg injury, missing the first half before returning at the start of the second.
After a few errors from either side, Ethan Strange broke the game open taking on two defenders in his own half.
Sebastian Kris backed up to score under the sticks for the first try of the game.
The visitors thought they scored their first of the evening through winger Mika Sivo, only for the bunker to find a knock on in the build up.
The game entered an arm wrestle for the next ten minutes, before the left edge of the Raiders would take a chance in their own half as Xavier Savage streaked into the backfield, took on Gutherson and kept Brown at bay to score Canberra’s second of the night.
A strong defensive display combined with a Jamal Fogarty saw the home side take a 13-0 lead into the sheds at the half time break.
The second half began how the first finished, as an offload from Mariota resulted in a Matt Timoko acrobatic finish as he beat off two defenders to score.
The Eels would take advantage of consecutive penalties to score their first of the evening as Mika Sivo would go over untouched in the right-hand corner, cutting the deficit to 17-4.
The Raiders crossed the line once again, Savage showing his pace down the left edge to place a kick back into Danny Levi for their fourth try of the contest.
An illegal two on one strip from Shaun Lane marched the Raiders down the field and called the right edge into action as slick movement, capped off by a beautiful catch and pass by Timoko, saw Schiller run away to score.
The following set of six saw the Raiders continue to pile on the pain to the Eels as a damaging run from strike centre Timoko saw the lead extend to 33-4, after he drew the fullback to put Hudson Young over for his first of the year.
Fijian winger Miika Sivo crossed for his second of the evening with the try only being in consolation.
Club debutant Simi Sasagi popped an offload for Matt Timoko who scored his second of the evening, capping off a brilliant Raiders performance. Fogarty added the extra's right on fulltime to finish 41-8 at home.
The Canberra Raiders take on the Gold Coast Titans next Sunday evening at GIO Stadium.
