The Raiders have let slip yet another lead as the Warriors rebounded from their Anzac Day capitulation to post a 21-20 golden-point win at Redcliffe’s Moreton Daily Stadium.
The Warriors trailed all game before a controversial penalty goal from Reece Walsh with 35 seconds remaining forced extra time.
Shaun Johnson then nailed the match-winning field goal to consign Canberra to their fifth consecutive defeat, leaving Raiders coach Ricky Stuart exasperated.
Stuart will be livid after watching his side give up eight-point leads on three occasions, the last time after interchange forward Corey Horsburgh was placed on report after Matt Lodge milked a soft high tackle penalty in the 80th minute.
Lodge and Canberra prop Joseph Tapine were also reported in a niggly affair, while Raiders front-rower Josh Papalii may also come under scrutiny from the match review committee for an alleged eye gouge on Ben Murdoch-Masila.
Five days after accusing some of his charges of giving up in their record-breaking 70-10 drubbing at the hands of Melbourne, Warriors coach Nathan Brown certainly couldn’t question his side’s commitment this time around.
They trailed 8-0 early as Canberra centre Matthew Timoko posted the game’s first try in the sixth minute and Brad Schneider added a penalty goal.
Jordan Rapana gift-wrapped the Warriors an invitation back into the contest with a sloppy pass on his own quarter line that Nick Cotric coughed up.
Warriors winger Adam Pompey crossed on the ensuing play, only for the Warriors to concede a soft try to Hudson Young minutes later.
Another blunder from Rapana, this time a slip in defence, enabled teenage centre Viliama Vailea to bag his maiden NRL try off a probing chip kick from Warriors debutant Daejan Asi, to again cut Canberra’s lead to two points.
Jack Wighton earned the Raiders’ a more deserving 20-12 half-time lead when he did it all himself five minutes before the break.
A Euan Aitken try in the 63rd minute again reduced Canberra’s lead to two points before the dramatic finale.
The Raiders failed to score a single point in the second half for the fifth time in eight games this season.
