Raiders Take Down Bulldogs
In the first match of the Magic Round, the Canberra Raiders and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs were pitted against one another. The Raiders have had a slightly better season thus far, and as such, were favoured to come out victorious.
They came out scorching from the opening whistle, with Xavier Savage scoring the game’s first try just two and a half minutes into the match. Jordan Rapana smashed through the conversion and the Raiders held an early 6-0 lead.
At the 20-minute mark the Raiders made the Bulldogs pay big time for a mistake. The Bulldogs won a scrum within their own twenty and sent the ball wide to Jacob Kiraz. Two members of the Raiders quickly converged on him however and forced the ball out.
It popped right into the hands of Sebastian Kris who ran it in for what will certainly be one of his easiest tries ever scored. Rapana again sent the conversion through, giving the Raiders a 12-0 lead.
Then came the Bulldogs time to fight back. Ten minutes later they found their first try of the game, as Jacob Preston ran onto a ball that was kicked into the try zone.
Matt Burton made the conversion as the lead was cut in half.
Just five minutes later the Bulldogs struck again, this time by way of Stephen Crichton powering his way down the right side just over the try line. The conversion was no good, so the Bulldogs trailed 12-10.
They kept attacking however and found another try three minutes later thanks to Matt Burton’s run onto another Drew Hutchison kick to the try zone.
The conversion was again missed but the Bulldogs had taken a 14-12 lead, and they weren’t done there.
Two minutes later they would find another try and this time the conversion was good, stretching the lead to 20-12.
After being dominated for the last 30 minutes, the Raiders then woke up. Hudson Young scored a try and Rapana put through the conversion to cut the lead to two.
At the 60-minute mark, it was Young again finding the try zone and Rapana converting to take a 24-20 lead.
The Bulldogs fought hard in the final 20 minutes but ultimately came up just short.
Broncos Beat Manly by Single Point
The Brisbane Broncos and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles were the night’s second match and produced an exciting, albeit low-scoring affair.
The Broncos, favoured in the match, came out strong. They found the opening try of the match just seven minutes in by way of Brendan Piakura. Kotoni Staggs made the conversion and gave the Broncos the quick 6-0 lead.
Just five minutes later they struck again, this time thanks to Deine Mariner. Following the conversion, they led 12-0.
We then went 35 minutes plus without points scored by either side, as the two teams locked down defensively. However, knowing they needing to score eventually, Manly finally opened up in the 50th minute.
Reuben Garrick got his team on the board and made the conversion to cut the lead to six.
Then, with no less than ten minutes left in the match, Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega found the try zone for Manly. Garrick again converted, and the game was tied.
With five minutes remaining, the Sea Eagles’ Jaxson Paulo took a dangerous tackle penalty. The Broncos opted to kick the field goal, which Jock Madden put through to give his side the lead and ultimately the 13-12 victory to wrap up the Magic Round’s opening night.
The NRL’s Magic Round’s opening night produced a pair of tight fought matches. It was first the Canberra Raiders battling past the Bulldogs to win by four, followed by the Brisbane Broncos scoring off a plenty late to beat Manly 13-12 in what was a great night of rugby.
