Raiders 32 Bulldogs 20
Raiders' Jordan Rapana scores a try. Photo: Rohan Thomson
If you could put a game in a time capsule to encapsulate the Canberra Raiders, this would be it.
But despite threatening to throw away another game with errors, a spark of life from centre Joey Leilua orchestrated a 32-20 comeback win over Canterbury at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.
Raiders' Jarrod Croker makes a break. Photo: Rohan Thomson
The Raiders looked lethargic for the first 55 minutes when down 20-10 against a depleted Bulldogs side, with Josh Morris, David Klemmer and Josh Jackson on NSW Origin duty.
Some clangers from fullback Jack Wighton, two of which led directly to Canterbury tries, put the visitors on top early.
But he atoned by pulling off two try-saving tackles on Aiden Tolman and Sam Perrett in the first half, before setting up an Edrick Lee try which drew the Raiders level in the second half.
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NRL: Raiders vs Bulldogs
Scenes from Canberra Stadium as the Canberra Raiders take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Round 12 of the NRL. Photo: Rohan Thomson
But Leilua's run, which led to the first of Joe Tapine's two tries, was the play which turned the momentum of the game on its head.
Previously devoid of energy in the forwards with Bulldogs James Graham, Tolman and Greg Eastwood dominating, the Raiders steamrolled the visitors in the back end to score the last 22 points of the game.
It was a vital win for the Raiders, who leap from 10th to sixth and now sit just three points outside the top four.
There was vision of Stuart jumping up and down excitedly on the sidelines when a Sia Soliola try gave Canberra its first lead late in the game.
But he was realistic with where his team was at after the game. Canberra is in the top eight without having produced what they're capable of often enough.
"Our fans and members, we've got a footy team here but we'll never realise our full potential until we play for longer durations in the game," Stuart said.
"At times we've made it hard and had to climb back and find some points.
"Don't get me wrong, Canterbury started very well and we knew they were going to be on, there's a lot of character in this side.
"If we want to be a better football team and realise our potential the next eight to 10 weeks, we have to play for longer periods."
Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker said the players made a point of boosting Wighton's confidence at half-time.
"We've got players in our side, and Jack's one of them, who you have to tell to back themselves," Croker said.
"At half-time, it might have been Stick [Stuart] who told him you'll probably come out now and win the game for us, and he probably did with that pass."
Stuart added: "Jack gets so much criticism and yeah he made a few errors, but he did some things other players can't do.
"That was my message at half-time, don't listen to every other person that's in your head, listen to me, and you'll be better off."
"That [tackle on Perrett] saves a try. He'll be fine."
Canberra's day got even better when Parramatta officially announced they had granted prop Junior Paulo an immediate release, freeing him to join the Raiders next week.
The only downside for Canberra was a hamstring injury to Lee suffered when scoring a try which levelled the match at 20-all in the 64th minute.
Lee told Fairfax Media after the game he was only taken off as a precautionary measure, but may struggle to be fit for Friday's home game against Manly.
Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano also played no part in the second half with a hamstring problem.
Despite dominating the opening 40 minutes the visitors took a slender 14-10 lead at half-time, and extended that to 20-10 shortly after the break when halfback Moses Mbye scored.
But Leilua's run put Canberra on the attack, and the next play saw Tapine score his first try for the Raiders by throwing off Raymond Faitala-Mariner.
Soon after the Raiders came agonisingly close to taking their first lead when Blake Austin made a long break, but was ruled to have dropped the ball just before the line in an Adam Elliott tackle.
With 15 minutes left Wighton atoned for his previous errors by putting Lee into space off a kick return, the winger running 40 metres to score and level the scores at 20-all.
Croker missed the conversion attempt from out wide. But from the next set the Raiders hit the front 26-20 when Soliola, in his return from a broken arm, carried several defenders over the line.
Tapine's second try in the 77th minute sealed the two points.
CANBERRA RAIDERS 32 (J Tapine 2, E Lee, J Leilua, J Rapana, I Soliola tries; J Croker 4 goals) bt CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 20 (R Smith 2, M Mbye, A Tolman tries; K Holland 2 goals) at GIO Stadium. Referee: Ashley Klein, Adam Gee. Crowd: 13,907.
