The Warriors have spoiled the party for Jarrod Croker’s 300th game, digging in defensively before thrashing a woeful Canberra 36-14 at GIO Stadium.
A try-of-the-year candidate from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak helped the New Zealanders overcome an early pummelling and blitz the woeful Raiders to maintain their charge towards a first finals appearance since 2018.
What was meant to be Canberra’s celebration of Croker – just their second player to reach 300 games – quickly turned sour with five straight Warriors tries overturning a 6-0 first-half deficit.
The huge win leaves the Warriors 8-6 for the season and level on points with third place, continuing a brilliant first campaign under new coach Andrew Webster.
It took genuine guts defensively, Canberra dominating territory with 27 tackles in their opponents’ 20-metre zone to the Warriors’ seven through 45 minutes, before the visitors turned the game on its head and cut to Raiders to ribbons.
Canberra old boy Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad came back to bite the hand that used to feed him, scoring a brilliant second-half try in a best-on-ground display that included 178m run and four tackle busts.
Halfback Shaun Johnson had another fantastic night in what’s quickly becoming a vintage season, scoring a try and finding three assists to again drive his side to victory.
Canberra dominated the opening 20 minutes out-running the Warriors by 200m and winning 80 per cent of territory, the visitors’ resolute defence keeping them level until Jack Wighton gathered his own kick and crossed.
The Warriors competed a player down for 10 minutes after bench forward Mitch Barnett drilled Jordan Rapana with a high shot, but found a way to level things up via a remarkable acrobatic grounding from Watene-Zelezniak.
They put themselves right in the frame for the upset win via Nicoll-Klokstad’s carving effort early in the second half, before bench prop Tom Ale put them 18-8 ahead.
Luke Metcalf and Wayde Egan also crossed as the margin ballooned, Canberra surely questioning how they once again rolled over on home turf in embarrassing fashion.
The hosts scored a late consolation through Josh Papali’i before a lazy pass from fullback Sebastian Kris was picked off for a comical Johnson try.
They add this 22-point defeat to 41- and 28-point losses at home this year to Penrith and Manly respectively.
Stony-faced through the week-long build-up to his milestone, Croker wiped away tears after entering the field hand-in-hand with his three-year-old son as 21,082 fans stood and applauded.
By Alex Mitchell in Canberra
