The Canberra Raiders have kept their NRL finals hopes alive with a 28-16 comeback win over the New Zealand Warriors in Mackay.
The Raiders (10-13 record) fought back from a 16-0 first-half deficit to score five unanswered tries, including two in the final two minutes of Friday night’s match.
Canberra are provisionally in eighth spot ahead of their regular season finale against Sydney Roosters.
However, the finals dream is officially over for the Warriors (8-15) who could not back up a blistering start after form playmaker Chad Townsend succumbed to a shoulder injury in the 48th minute.
With the scores locked up at 16-16, both sides appeared to squander chances to ice the result with Canberra’s Jordan Rapana missing a 72nd minute penalty kick and Warriors X-factor Reece Walsh spraying a field goal attempt five minutes later.
But in the end, the Raiders ran away with it after Rapana (78th minute) and Hudson Young (80th) crossed, snapping Canberra’s two-game losing slide.
Canberra had levelled the scores in the 66th minute when Sebastian Kris grabbed his second try, latching on to Rapana’s Hail Mary pass.
Trailing 16-0 in the 25th minute, the Raiders scored either side of half-time to cut the deficit to 16-10.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad ran off Josh Hodgson in the 39th minute before he combined with Jack Wighton to send over Kris in the 44th.
In his second game back from a serious neck injury, Nicoll-Klokstad stood tall at fullback after coming off the bench in a backline reshuffle caused by winger Bailey Simonsson’s 24th minute groin injury.
His recovering neck received a workout from Warriors winger Marcelo Montoya who had a running battle with the Raiders’ makeshift No.1, putting on some huge hits including a 54th minute high shot that was placed on report.
The Warriors led 16-6 at half-time after enjoying a dream start.
They needed just 39 seconds to score after hooker Wayde Egan sliced open an unsuspecting Raiders defence, darting from dummy half between Hodgson and Ryan Sutton before setting up recalled pivot Sean O’Sullivan.
Warriors front-rower Matt Lodge was placed on report for a hip drop after a 24th minute tackle in which Raiders prop Joseph Tapine suffered a knee complaint. Tapine later returned to the field.
For the Warriors, Bunty Afoa was placed on report for a 71st minute tackle on Rapana.
AAP
