Fittler Struggles With Injury As
Roosters Prove Too Strong For Raiders

The Roosters did something that most sides in the NRL haven't been able to do by beating Canberra 23-16 on a beautiful spring day at Canberra Stadium despite captain Brad Fittler struggling with an injury to his left shoulder right throughout the game.

In a fast and frenetic first half the Raiders led 16-10 and the Roosters looked to join most other sides in the NRL by coming away from the national capital with a loss.

But the Roosters proved too strong in the second half. Despite the loss, today proved that the Raiders will be a team to watch in the finals series. For the Roosters there was also good news as Craig Fitzgibbon came back from a knee injury and he was successful in his first attempt at goal right from the sideline.

Scorers: RAIDERS 16 Tries: Mogg 2, Lolesi Goals: Schifcofske 2/3 ROOSTERS 23 Tries: Flannery, Crocker, Wing, Minichello Goals: Walker 2/4, Fitzgibbon 1/1, Fittler 1 fg

Sunday 7 September 2003 2:30 PM Canberra Stadium Referee: Bill Harrigan Video Referee: Phil Cooley

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match 3 - A Minichello (Roosters) 2 - L Ricketson (Roosters) 1 - A Mogg (Raiders)

By the clock: 0 min: Kick Off

3 min: NEWS: Roosters winger Chris Walker misses an attempt for a penalty goal after the Raiders Tyran Smith is penalised for a high tackle on Luke Ricketson.

7 min: TRY Roosters: Chris Flannery goes in for the Roosters first try of the afternoon. Chris Walker misses the conversion from next to the posts. Roosters 4

10 min: TRY Raiders: Jamaal Lolesi scores in the corner off a grubber from Mark Mclinden. Clinton Schifcofske is successful with the conversion. Raiders 6-4

15 min: NEWS: Roosters skipper Brad Fittler is struggling with the shoulder injury that kept him out for a couple of weeks recently.

16 min: TRY Roosters: Michael Crocker scores the Roosters second try after an Anthony Minichello break up the centre of the field. Chris Walker is successful with the conversion from next to the posts. Roosters 10-6

22 min: NEWS: The Roosters are denied a try by the video referee after Todd Byrne fails to get to an Anthony Minichello grubber before it went touch in goal.

24 min: TRY Raiders: Centre Adam Mogg busts through the Roosters defence to score close to the posts. Schifcofske is unsuccessful with the conversion. 10 all

27 min: NEWS: Raiders five-eighth Mark McLinden is taken form the field after hitting his head in a collision with Michael Crocker. Craig Fitzgibbon is on the field for the Roosters coming back form a knee injury earlier in the season.

33 min: TRY Raiders: Centre Adam Mogg scores his second try of the afternoon in a freakish effort where Brad Drew does a cross field bomb on the halfway line which was snapped up by Joel Monaghan who in turn passed the ball inside to Mogg who ran away to score. Clinton Schifcofske is successful with the conversion. Raiders 16-10

Halftime: In a fast and frenetic first half on a beautiful spring day in the national capital the Raiders lead the Roosters 16-10. After a first 15 minutes where the game was pretty much based in the Raiders half, the Raiders started to come good and if this continues there could be a real massacre on the cards this afternoon. Despite the scoreline there is some good news for Roosters fans with the return from injury of Craig Fitzgibbon form the bench. But Roosters captain Brad Fittler is really struggling with a shoulder injury.

52 min: TRY Roosters: Craig Wing goes in for a try after running through a gaping hole in the Raiders defence. Walker is successful with the conversion. 16 all

62 min: NEWS: Mark McLinden is back on the field as both sides are showing signs of fatigue.

69 min: TRY Roosters: Anthony Minichello scores a sensational try which goes from one end of the field to the other and through numerous sets of hands to break the deadlock. Craig Fitzgibbon is successful with the sideline conversion. Roosters 22-16

73 min: NEWS: Roosters captain Brad Fittler is unsuccessful with an attempt at field goal from 30 metres out.

76 min: FIELD GOAL Roosters. Brad Fittler seals a top 2 finish as he kicks the Roosters 7 points clear with a neat field goal. Roosters 23-16

Fulltime: In a fast and tense game the Roosters have done what most sides have struggled to do and that is come away form Canberra with a victory. Despite the loss the Raiders showed some very positive signs for the upcoming finals series