The Canberra Raiders NRLW team kicked off for their first game of the 2025 season, going down 36-14 to the Dragons.
It was the Dragons' spine led by Indie Bostock and Teagan Berry who blitzed through the Raiders' defence multiple times to steer their team to victory and give them their first win against the Green Machine.
After some early pressure from the Raiders, the Dragons through Teagan Berry ran across the field and found Indie Bostock, who bounced off multiple defenders and runs 80 meters to give the Dragons a 6-0 lead.
A forced dropout going the Raiders' way gave them another opportunity to put their first points on the board.
The Raiders took their opportunity and grabbed it with firm hands after Hollie-Mae Dodd shrugged off multiple defenders and powered her way to the tryline for the Raiders' first try of the game and the season, making the score 6-4.Â
Off the back of a seven-tackle set, the Dragons powered down into Raiders’ territory and under the sticks, Zali Hopkins dummied and ducked under defenders and scored to give the Dragons a 12-4 lead.
A bone rattler of a tackle from Isabella Waterman sent shockwaves throughout the Stadium as the Raiders held out the Dragons just before halftime.
The Canberra Raiders went into the sheds at halftime with plenty of work to do in the second half, being down 12-4.
The Dragons started the second half quickly with Berry running through a giant hole and beat Cheyelle Robins-Reti to hand Bostock her second of the afternoon.
A late tackle on Georgia Thomas gave the Raiders a chance to get them back into the game.
Zahara Temara took the advantage, finding Madison Bartlett to get the Raiders back into the game, cutting the deficit to 18-8.
The Dragons made another error and with that came another attacking opportunity for the Raiders.
The Raiders had to score, and they did with Chante Temara hitting Sophie Holyman short, who crashed over to cut the deficit to 18-14.
On the back of a Dragons scrum win, Berry bursted straight through a hole and ran 70 meters to put the nail in the coffin and give the Dragons a 24-14 lead with just 13 minutes in the game.
Another penalty going the Dragons' way meant they were able to attack the Raiders' line and did with Raecene McGregor running the ball and taking on the line and splitting the middle defence to score and push the Dragons' lead out to 30-14.
The Dragons continued to wreak havoc on the Raiders' defence as Bostock spots a gap and fires through and then gives it off to Margot Vella to score to push their lead to 36-14.
The full-time siren blew and in the first hit out for season 2025, the Raiders go down to the Dragons 36-14.
