The Canberra Raiders have snapped a four game losing streak to defeat the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 36-34 thriller to kickstart a double-header at Optus Stadium in Perth.
Canberra opened the scoring after a tenacious opening quarter which saw both sides struggle for acendancy. A near Ethan Sanders try got close for the visitors. A clever dinking grubber from Tom Starling sat up perfectly for Hudson Young to score the first try of the contest.
Canberra made a cheap yardage error and South Sydney's potent attack wasn't going to hang off for much longer. Quick hands down the left edge that sends Latrell Mitchell onto Alex Johnston down the touchline. The PNG international eventually got a flick pass to Cody Walker to score the Souths' hit back. The Raiders hit back off a loose pass and Latrell Mitchell was the man at fault before Savelio Tamale scooped it up and raced away to score. He tried to be cheeky with Cody Walker but somehow managed to get the footy down and earned the ire of coach Ricky Stuart.
A loose bomb from Latrell Mitchell gave Canberra prime field position. A swift move down the right with Ethan Strange combining with Simi Sasagi to burst through before finding Kaeo Weekes to score. Canberra managed a brutal blow in the shadows of half-time with a nice break from Simi Sasagi to continue to burn the South Sydney right edge before linking up in support with Young and the Australian representative grabs a first half double and give the Raiders a 24-4 lead going into the sheds.
Souths had to be the first to score after half time and they were as Walker strolled over the line for his second try. A few minutes later, a great quick play the ball allowed Tallis Duncan to dart out of dummy half to put Johnston away down the wing and backing up in support was Jamie Humphreys to score. With Souths needing a massive play in the game. He turned the game on his head with a terrific individual try. Mitchell carried several defenders on his way to the line for a solo piece of individual brilliance.
Needing a big moment, the Raiders had one ace up their sleeve with a tremendous individual try from Kaeo Weekes. From his own in-goal, Weekes trucks through two and breaks away before stepping his way through the Rabbitohs defence to streak away to score one of the solo tries of the season. With a terrific raid down the short side following a Sasagi charge. On the ensuing play the ball. Hudson Young schemes down the short side and he links up in support to Strange to score for the Raiders and put what they thought was an exclamation mark on the final result.
Souths managed two quick tries to set up a grandstand finish inside the final ten minutes. A fantastic raid down the left saw Johnston collect his second try before the right edge of South Sydney set Optus Stadium alight. Campbell Graham streaked away before linking up with Wighton to score for the Rabbitohs. Despite some final attacking raids from the Rabbitohs, it wasn't to be as the Raiders snapped a four game skid across the West Coast.