Match Centre

FULL TIME - Canberra blow the 12-0 lead and fall 18-12.

The last play amounts to nothing and the Raiders will lose.

Chad Townsend with the bomb on the last and Xavier Savage has it. Raiders on their own 20. They need a miracle.

A mix-up and the Raiders put it down! Tom Starling plays it short for Josh Papali'i and Joseph Tapine was supposed to be the decoy but instead tries to take the ball and drops it.

Murray Taulagi pinged for taking out Jordan Rapana. Raiders 10 out.

30 out on the last - Brad Schneider to the air and Scott Drinkwater takes it but the Cowboys are penalised for an escort!

But Corey Harawira-Naera steals the ball!

Elliott Whitehead drops the ball and the Cowboys are in the Canberra half with a chance to kick the field goal to seal this.

Chad Townsend with a clearing kick and Xavier Savage takes it over the 20.

Jack Wighton with a dangerous kick on the last but Scott Drinkwater comes down safely with it. Seven minutes for the Cowboys to hang on.

And with his first involvement taking the ball back Xavier Savage is taken into touch and hurt his left shoulder! Cowboys with a chance to hit the lead.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad with a timid kick return, he looked a bit limp as Xavier Savage comes to enter the game.

Chad Townsend short to Jason Taumalolo who is dragged by Raiders over the line but he doesn't score. Still a threatening run.

Chad Townsend with a bomb on the last and Kyle Feldt puts out a boot to kick it inside. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad has it then drops the ball in the tackle. Chance for the Cowboys to level it up.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad spills a Chad Townsend bomb but it goes backwards. Josh Papali'i and Jason Taumalolo both now too with the game in the balance.

But Semi Valemei drops it off a forward pass and they hand it right back to the Cowboys.

Jack Wighton grubbers and Scott Drinkwater drops it. Another set and more pressure coming.

Joseph Tapine with the short ball for Brad Schneider who goes over but the Cowboys may have held him up - Chad Townsend and Reuben Cotter there. They have denied him from scoring.

Six-again for the Raiders, who are 10 out.

Jack Wighton to the air and Nick Cotric takes it, kicks and Tom Dearden is there to take it before being dragged five metres by a host of Raiders back into the in-goal area. Big set coming up.

Cowboys still on top but a dropped ball now has the Raiders 40 out and with a chance to regain ascendancy.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad with a one-on-one strip on Tom Gilbert - big play!

Tom Dearden with a well-weighted kick on the last and he forces a dropout.

A few passes through the middle and Valentine Holmes makes a semi-break. Cowboys 30 out and with a spring in their step.

Brad Schneider clears it from inside his 40 on the last and the Cowboys have it on their 30, winning the field position battle early.

Cowboys 40 out on the last - they're making strong metres after points. Tom Dearden to the air and Jordan Rapana has it on the 10 but a great set after points from the Cows.

Tom Starling penalised for pressure on the neck. Cowboys 10 out now.

An early arm wrestle in the second half before the Cowboys earn the first penalty of the half. They start their new set on their own 40.

Back underway for the second half.

HALF TIME - The Raiders have been pretty ordinary in the red zone to be honest and this could be a bigger scoreline if they had executed better but they have a 12-0 lead at the break nonetheless.

The Raiders shape to go left, from Jack Wighton to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad but the ball goes to ground.

Reece Robson with a nice run out of dummy-half but otherwise a pretty ordinary set that ends with a Scott Drinkwater kick and the Raiders turn it into attack on the return, Jordan Rapana with some tackle busts and then to Brad Schneider and they're up to the 40.

Jack Wighton with a nice kick that finds touch around five out.

Nothing comes of it though. Raiders again with a chance to try get down the other side of the field and possibly land a killer blow on the stroke of halftime.

But the Cowboys cough it up and the Raiders have it on their own 30... and turn it over themselves. North Queensland 30 out again.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad though passes it to Murray Taulagi on the last. Raiders really uninspiring in attack.

Some poorly executed passes from Brad Schneider and Jack Wighton on both wings bring no joy for the Raiders... but they still have a few more plays.

Jack Wighton kicks and Scott Drinkwater handles it comfortably... or maybe not. He is immediately tackled by a few Raiders, tries to offload it and Chad Townsend drops it. Can the Raiders strike before halftime? It'd be a hammer blow.

Jeremiah Nanai again - penalised for taking out Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad - not even looking for the ball. The youngster has had a shocker so far.

The Cowboys go right but the play breaks down as Peta Hiku goes into touch. Too sideways here from North Queensland.

A cheap penalty conceded and another chance for the Cowboys.

Now an error from the Raiders too - Matthew Timoko the man. Cowboys doing well to keep it at 12-0.

Jack Wighton knocks down the pass from Valentine Holmes to Jeremiah Nanai and it is six-again for the Cowboys 10 out... but Heilum Luki drops it in a great tackle from Brad Schneider.

Canberra not much of a threat of scoring until a clever kick from Jack Wighton sees Elliott Whitehead get to the ball first but he doesn't look to have got it down. Checking with the Bunker - and he's dropped it.

Jack Wighton now forces a dropout with a deft kick from 30 metres out. All the Raiders at this point.

NO TRY - The Cowboys go over in the corner through Kyle Feldt but Jack Wighton is obstructed in the lead-up by Jeremiah Nanai.

Raiders now penalised and the Cowboys get a fresh set near halfway.

The Cowboys will survive though. The Raiders go right after Jack Wighton takes on the line and Brad Schneider kicks for the corner but it is too heavy for Brad Schneider.

And it was a clear strip.

Spoke too soon - Reuben Cotter penalised for a strip on the fifth tackle. They will challenge it though.

The Cowboys get through a set without giving away a penalty and they are working it out from their own end now.

And another penalty conceded, Jeremiah Nanai for putting Tom Starling in a dangerous position.

Nick Cotric with a good take on the last and Jeremiah Nanai is penalised for taking him out mid-air.

Canberra on top but not threatening all too much in attack in prime field position. Peta Hiku with great hands to scoop up the Jack Wighton grubber and the Cowboys work it out of their end, with a big Jason Taumalolo run taking them over halfway.

Chad Townsend grubbers now on the last, a ricochet makes it tricky for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad but he dives on it and the home side survive and now get a relieving penalty to help them out of their own end.

Chad Townsend chips early and the Cowboys force a dropout.

Cowboys under the pump and now they are dragged into touch but Ashley Klein yelled held at least three times prior. Penalty. They are up to the 40 now with a fresh set to come.

A 50-metre set here from the Cowboys as Brad Schneider then goes to the air on the last, Murray Taulagi lets it bounce and is tackled three out from his own line.

An early chance to put up points for the Raiders. Reece Robson collects Joseph Tapine high. Brad Schneider finds touch 25 out.

Chad Townsend just outside the 30 with the clearing kick for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad who takes it towards his own 40.

Reuben Cotter listed at prop but will play at lock as expected with Jason Taumalolo in the front row alongside the returning Coen Hess.

Raiders kick off and Cowboys have first use of it.

Cowboys out at GIO Stadium with the Viking Clap now signaling the arrival of the home side.

No changes for the home side while the Cowboys have promoted Reuben Cotter and Heilum Luki to the starting line-up.

Good evening and welcome to the live blog of tonight's game between the Raiders and Cowboys at GIO Stadium.