Friday night footy: Raiders v Storm live blog

Late Mail

Cowboys: Englishman John Bateman has been ruled out with a wrist injury. 

Panthers: Ivan Cleary's squad remains unchanged for the clash in Mackay.

 

Raiders v Storm at Seiffert Oval

Prop stars: Sam Hyne (16 runs for 127 metres) and Vena Patuki-Case (12 runs for 127 metres) were strong up front for Canberra while speedsters Chevy Stewart and Michael Asomua combined for 23 runs and 220 metres.

Full-time: The Raiders make the ideal start to their Witzer Pre-Season Challenge campaign with a comfortable 26-point win. Some nice touches from young playmakers Jalen Afamasaga and Ethan Alaia while senior players Seb Kris and Daine Laurie also impressed.

78 min: Jalen Afamasaga evades a defender with neat footwork and then sends a 20-metre pass out to Sione Finau who completes his double. Braydan Darmody takes over the goalkicking and hits the upright. Raiders 32-6.

73 min: The Storm are on the board with Jordan Hamlin scheming down the short side and putting Liam Williams over for a try. Amaziah Murgha converts. Raiders 28-6.

72 min: Storm five-eighth Eli Morris is caught high by Mark Tuialii who is sent to the sin bin. Eli was slipping to the ground as Tuialii rushed up to make a tackle and contact was high.

68 min: Seb Kris takes the ball 20 metres out and shows great power and footwork to surge over for Canberra's sixth try of the night. Chevy Stewart adds the extras. Raiders 28-0.

66 min: Raiders big man Vena Patuki-Case gets over the line and is held up on the fifth tackle. The Raiders then go to the boot on the last but the Storm are able to cover up and come away.

59 min: Sione Finau grubbers and Seb Kris toes the ball into the in goal where Eli Morris shows good desperation to win the race and ground the ball. Storm dropout.

54 min: Jalen Afamasaga takes the ball one off the ruck and shows good speed to slice through and cross for a try from 20 metres out. Ethan Alaia nails the Raiders' first conversion. Raiders 22-0.

51 min: The Raiders swing the ball to the left and Seb Kris attracts two defenders before delivering a sweet flick pass for Sione Finau to score. Twelve months ago Finau bagged four tries in the Charity Shield for the Dragons and now the speedster is looking for a big season with his new club. Ethan Alaia again misses the conversion from wide out. Raiders 16-0.

45 min: A sensational overhead pass by playmaker Ethan Alaia for Saxon Innes to cross in the corner for the Raiders' third try. Alaia fails to convert. Raiders 12-0.

44 min: Marion Seve gets across the line for the Storm but loses the ball as he tries to get it down. The Raiders scoop it up and run 80 metres before Sione Finua is ankle tapped and the referee is able to go to the video ref to confirm 'no try'. 

Forward momentum: Vena Patuki-Case (seven runs for 84 metres and three tackle breaks) and Joe Roddy (14 runs for 95 metres) were impressive for the Raiders while centre Savelio Tamale proved a handful with six tackle breaks and 75 run metres.

Half-time: The Raiders take an 8-0 lead to the sheds on the back of a Michael Asomua double. The Green Machine had 58 per cent of possession and had 22 sets with the ball compared to Melbourne's 18.

36 min: The Raiders go right and the ball ends up with Michael Asomua who powers through a couple of tackles from 30 metres out to make it a double. Chevy Stewart again pushes the conversion to the right. Raiders 8-0.

32 min: A poor end of set by the Storm as Alan Holten goes on his own out of dummy half and is easily shut down.

31 min: Ethan Alaia kicks out on the full for the Raiders and the Storm go inside the red zone.

29 min: Michael Asomua flies high and gets a good catch on a bomb but spills it just short of the Storm line. A penalty for a high shot then piggybacks the Storm up the field.

25 min: Savelio Tamale's dancing feet put the Raiders within range but a wayward pass out of dummy half by Owen Pattie lets the Storm off the hook.

23 min: Raiders prop Sam Hyde powers onto the ball from close range and is held up over the line by some desperate Storm defence.

19 min: First blood to the Raiders with Daine Laurie putting in a perfectly weighted grubber for Michael Asomua to follow through and score in the right-hand corner. Chevy Stewart misses the conversion. Raiders 4-0.

17 min: Daine Laurie goes to the air, Hugo Peel takes the catch, Daine Laurie makes the tackle and forces the Storm No.1 in goal for a dropout.

16 min: On the back of a strong run by back-rower Cooper Clarke the Storm find good field position but Jordan Hamlin's kick is a poor one and sails out on the full.

12 min: Eli Morris puts a bomb into the corner where Michael Asomua covers up well and the Raiders earn a penalty to come out of trouble.

8 min: Marion Seve rides a tackle and gets a pass away which is knocked down by Daine Laurie. The Storm win the scrum and go on the attack but fullback Hugo Peel puts it down.

3 min: The Raiders get an early chance at points but centre Mark Tuialii is pinged for obstruction after running behind a teammate and the Storm come away on the back of a penalty.

Late Mail

Raiders: Ethan Alaia will start the game at five-eighth in jersey No.18. Jalen Afamasaga will come from the bench after being named at five-eighth on Tuesday. Englishman Matty Nicholson will captain the Raiders.

Storm: No late changes to the side named on Tuesday. New recruits Davvy Moale and Jack Hetherington are the props on club debut while Trent Loiero and Ativalu Lisati are the only members of the 2025 grand final side playing tonight.