NRL 2021 LIVE updates Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters
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Inside the final 20 minutes and Josh Papalii is back on the field for the Raiders in a last-ditch bid to save their season, while Semi Valemei still can’t take a trick with another elementary mistake.
A penny for Ricky Stuart’s thoughts.
Wow, that’s the try of the night and it might just be the one that ends the Raiders’ season.
Daniel Tupou gets an offload away deep in his own territory which releases Adam Keighran, who finds a rampaging James Tedesco and his around-the-corner pass finds Keighran again, who steps his way over and slams the ball down despite a head clash with the goalpost. It’s his third try of the night and remrkably his second hat-trick in as many years in the final round of the season.
He’s still a little uncomfortable meaning Siosiua Taukeiaho has to take the conversion attempt from in front.
The Roosters now lead 30-12 with 27 minutes left.
Canberra’s season, I think it’s fair to say, is officially on life support.
Adam Keighran celebrates one of his tries.Credit:Getty
I know the Raiders will argue they’ve copped a couple of tough calls so far, but that has to be one of the biggest blunders of the night.
Josh Hodgson, who is not within a million miles of being square at marker, jumps out and grabs the arm of opposite number Sam Verrills and dislodges the ball ... and there’s no penalty. That might just do me.
That goalpost is going to be so costly.
The Roosters have just waltzed up the other end through a James Tedesco break up the middle, and the set ends with Adam Keighran jinking his way over on the left-hand side for his second try of the night. That could be a hammer blow for the Raiders.
The try-scorer’s conversion attempt is hooked across the face of the upright though, with the Roosters leading 24-12 with 32 minutes left.
It’s becoming a steep task for Canberra now.
You know it’s not your night when those big fat goalposts, painted like a cow in a nod to sponsor Canberra Milk, stop you from scoring a try. But that’s exactly what happened to Joe Tapine, who was about the spin his way over the line when that big padding got in the way. I wonder how costly that will be for the Raiders?
This was the conversion from the first half which has social media up in arms and commentators perplexed. Did it go inside the post or not?
Corey Horsburgh has been replaced after the opening hit-up in the second half, appearing to come off with a shoulder problem after steaming into Matt Ikuvalu. I think the Raiders wanted to see if there was an apparent crusher tackle from Sitili Tupouniua after the original contact, but the bunker said play on.
This has been a bizarre game all night.
Ricky Stuart’s down to his last roll of the dice. What can the Raiders conjure up a comeback in the next 40 minutes?
Adam Keighran kicks off for the Roosters with Sharks and Titans fans cheering home the tricolours.
Quick look at the stats and it’s easy to see why the Raiders are behind, having just 39 per cent of the ball and completing at an ordinary 71 per cent. The Roosters, on the other hand, are completing at 82 per cent and have really wrestled control of this game.
Siosiua Taukeiaho is leading the way for the tricolours with a mammoth 141 first-half running metres after that knee scare last week - and he’s stepped up without Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. Angus Crichton has 104 metres, while Sam Verrills leads the tacklers with 23.
For the Raiders, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad has had a mixed night but leads his side with 85 run metres while hooker Josh Hodgson has racked up 25 tackles.
The only ones enjoying this more than the Roosters fans will the Sharks supporters, who will be another step closer to making the finals for a seventh straight year if the result stays as is.
Josh Papalii was a first half try-scorer for the Raiders.Credit:Getty
That was a horrible last 20 minutes of the first half from the Raiders and they’re now more than a converted try behind after Elliott Whitehead blows the captain’s challenge after arguing he didn’t strip the ball from Isaac Liu in a three-man tackle.
Adam Keighran’s straightforward penalty attempt is made to look a lot harder than it should be, ricocheting in off the post. That means the Roosters will go to the break with a handy buffer at 20-12. And Whitehead is still arguing the toss with referee Gerard Sutton as they head to the sheds.
Forty minutes to save their season. Can Ricky Stuart’s men do it?
Elliott Whitehead charges into the Roosters defence.Credit:Getty
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