Raiders win round 1 golden point thriller against Sea Eagles

Fulltime: Ethan Sanders kicked a long-range field goal in the opening set of extra time to snatch a 29-28 Golden Point win for the Raiders in an epic clash with Manly at 4 Pines Park. Starved of possession in the opening 15 minutes, the Raiders trailed 14-0 early but after scoring before halftime the Raiders piled on three tries in seven minutes to take the lead. However, with Manly trailing 28-14 just six minutes before fulltime, centre Tolu Koula scored and then created a try for Jamal Fogarty, who last year guided the Raiders to the minor premiership. A Fogarty penalty goal sent the game to Golden Point. But it was Sanders, the Raiders rookie who has replaced Fogarty, that stepped up to win the game for the Green Machine. 

80 min: Fogarty has missed an attempt at a 40m field goal to lock the scores up but referee Liam Kennedy awarded a penalty and the former Raiders halfback sent the game to Golden Point.

76 min: Game on! Koula has raced 60m down the touchline before linking with Trbojevic, who found Fogarty in support, Rueben Garrick converted. Raiders 28 Sea Eagles 20. 

74 min: Koula has burst through the defence to score off a Tom Trbojevic pass. Fogarty has converted from the sideline. Raiders 28 Sea Eagles 20.

69 min: Sanders has glided past Jake Trbojevic to extend Canberra's lead. Sanders converted. Raiders 28 Sea Eagles 14.

56 min: Koula has denied Savage a third try in seven minutes after the Raiders winger grounded the ball on the touchline in-goal.

54 min: Savage has gone back to back after racing onto a kick from Hudson Young into the Manly in-goal and beating fellow speedster Koula to the ball. Sanders missed the conversion. Raiders 22 Sea Eagles 14.

49 min: The Raiders have hit the lead after Savage accelerated onto the ball after quick hands to shift the ball to the winger. Sanders converted from out wide. Raiders 18 Sea Eagles 14.

47 min: Martin has quickly made amends after backing up a jinking run across field by Weekes, who put the young forward into a yawning gap to score. Sanders converted. Sea Eagles 14 Raiders 12.

45 min: Martin has conceded a penalty for stripping the ball out from Tolu Koula with another Raiders defender in the tackle.

Halftime summary: After enduring a torrid opening 15 minutes in which they barely had the ball, the Raiders have shown great resilience to stay in the game and could have even been ahead at halftime, but the second half will determine how much of a toll the early defence has taken. The Sea Eagles started on fire and couldn't put a foot wrong but after taking a 14-0 lead midway through the first half, the Raiders wrested back control.

38 min: Savage has blown a try after Ethan Strange toed ahead a dropped pass by Lehi Hopoate and the Raiders speedster won the race for the ball but couldn't pick it up cleanly in the slippery conditions. 

34 min: Canberra interchange forward Zac Hosking has gone off for a HIA.

30 min: Raiders veteran Josh Papali'i has failed a HIA and won't return.

25 min: Hudson Young has bombed a tryscoring opportunity after being unable to hold an offload from Martin.

24 min: Tom Trbojevic has had a try disallowed for obstruction.

20 min: The Raiders have scored in their first attacking opportunity, with rookie halfback Ethan Sanders turning the ball inside for forward Noah Martin, who reached out to plant the ball. Sanders converted. Sea Eagles 14 Raiders 6.

18 min: Haumole Olakau'atu has put the Sea Eagles further ahead after Jason Saab knocked back a cross-field kick and the bounce beat Raiders winger Savelio Tamale but sat up perfectly for the Tongan international. Sea Eagles 14 Raiders 0

14 min: Xavier Savage has committed the first error of the game, fumbling the ball as he attempted to play it after taking a Fogarty kick. 

11 min: The Raiders finally have the ball after Kaeo Weekes fielded a long kick from Fogarty. Canberra had made 45 tackles to nil by Manly.

10 min: Fogarty has kicked the penalty goal. Canberra haven't had the ball yet. Sea Eagles. 8 Raiders 0

9 min: Raiders captain Joseph Tapine has been penalised for a lifting tackle on Trbojevic and players from both sides have come racing in. The Raiders are on notice after conceding a string of six-again calls and penalties.

7 min: Ben Trbojevic has latched onto a Fogarty kick but was unable to hold onto the ball. However, the Sea Eagles get the ball back because of a Raiders knock-on. Canberra haven't had the ball yet.

4 min: Tom Trbojevic has bought the sold out crowd to their feet after chiming into a backline movement, dummying and taking on the defence to score. Jamaal Fogarty has his first points in Manly colours after converting the try. Sea Eagles 6 Raiders 0

0.01 min: The game is underway in torrential rain and Manly have the first penalty of the match after a high shot by Tom Starling on Ben Trbojevic.

Late Mail

Sea Eagles: Taniela Paseka (Achilles), Haumole Olakau'atu (shoulder) and Jake Trbojevic (concussion) are all set to return to the field after long-term injuries brought an early end to their 2025 campaigns. Former Raider Jamal Fogarty will partner Luke Brooks in a new-look halves combination following the off-season departure of Daly Cherry-Evans. Corey Waddell was a late inclusion on the six-man bench in place of Fiji playmaker Brandon Wakeham.

Raiders: Ethan Sanders has first crack at the No.7 jumper as he looks to step into the shoes formerly worn by Fogarty. Sanders will link up with Ethan Strange in the halves. Jayden Brailey is set to make his Raiders debut off the bench with Owen Pattie joining Matty Nicholson (shoulder) and Matthew Timoko (foot) in reserve grade this weekend.

Numbers Game

• The Sea Eagles have won their last three Round 1 games.
• The Raiders have won two of their past three games at 4 Pines Park.
• Sea Eagles fullback Tom Trbojevic has scored nine tries in his last six games against the Raiders.
• Raiders centre Sebastian Kris has scored a try in his last three games against the Sea Eagles.
• Sea Eagles centre Tolu Koula is on a nine game try-scoring streak at 4 Pines Park.

Sharks v Titans at Ocean Protect Stadium

Fulltime: Indigenous All Stars five-eighth Braydon Trindall has led the Sharks to a thumping 50-10 defeat of the Titans in their Round 1 clash. Trindall scored two tries and produced four try assists, as well as a 40/20 kick that led to halves partner Nicho Hynes scoring to bring up Cronulla's half century. Hynes scored two tries and kicked seven goals for a personal haul of 22 points, while centre Jesse Ramien also finished with a brace. Trailing 40-0 after just 43 minutes, the Titans steadied before conceding two late tries. 

77 min: Hynes has scored his second try after dummying and pirouetting out of a tackle. Hynes bought up the half century with his conversion from out wide. Sharks 50 Titans 10. 

76 min: Trindall has kicked a 40/20.

72 min: Tongan winger Sione Katoa has left no doubts about his fitness after suffering a pre-season groin injury by leaping to field a Trindall kick and stepping his way over to score. Hynes missed the conversion. Sharks 44 Titans 10

64 min: Hau has missed another tryscoring opportunity after toeing ahead a loose ball but failing to ground it in goal. 

54 min: Titans winger Sialetili Faeamani has scored on debut after Kini tapped on an Ilias pass to the rookie. Ilias missed the conversion. Sharks 40 Titans 10

49 min: The Titans are on the board after Verrills dived over from dummy half. Ilias converted. Sharks 40 Titans 6.

45 min: Ilias is on report for a high tackle on Toby Rudolf.

43 min: The Sharks have started the second half as they did the first with Ramien steamrolling Titans hooker Sam Verrills to score his second try. Hynes converted. Sharks 40 Titans 0

38 min: Trindall has laid on another try for Hynes, who converted to extend Cronulla's lead before halftime. Sharks 34 Titans 0

29 min: Trindall has his second try after hoisting a bomb that bounced up for Ramien, who passed to the playmaker to score. Hynes converted. Sharks 28 Titans 0

26 min: KL Iro has absolutely ironed out Titans fullback Keano Kini with a bone crunching tackle but Nikora was penalised for another tackle and placed on report for dangerous contact.

25 min: Titans captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui has been placed on report for late contact with his Sharks counterpart Blayke Brailey in the lead up to Trindall's try. 

23 min: Now Trindall has a try of his own after dummying and beating Hau near the Titans line. Hynes converted. Sharks 22 Titans 0.

21 min: The Titans have kicked out on the full from the re-start, giving the Sharks good field position to start the set.

20 min: A seven-tackle set and a high tackle penalty have given the Sharks an attacking opportunity and they capitalised when Hynes combined with Kennedy to put Jesse Ramien over for the home side's third try. Hynes missed the conversion. Sharks 16 Titans 0

16 min: Hau went close again, this time off a grubber from AJ Brimson, earning a goal line drop out for his side.

15 min: Titans rookie Arama Hau went ever so close to scoring as he raced through after an Lachlan Ilias grubber but had an air swing as he tried to catch the ball.

10 min: Trindall has laid on another try for Briton Nikora, with a perfectly weighted grubber behind the Titans defence for the Kiwis backrower to race onto and score. Hynes converted. Sharks 12 Titans 0.

5 min: The Sharks have almost scored again, with secondrower Billy Burns held up over the line.

2 min: The Sharks have had the best possible start to the game with Will Kennedy scoring after Sam Stonestreet batted back a Brayden Trindall kick. Hynes converted. Sharks 6 Titans 0.

0.01 min: Nicho Hynes has kicked off and Titans prop Moeaki Fotuaika has made the first run off the match.

Late Mail

Sharks: Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon confirmed on Friday morning that Siona Katoa will take his place on the wing after overcoming a groin injury suffered in the Pre-Season Challenge. Edge forward Teig Wilton will miss the clash, however, as he navigates the final stages of recovery from off-season shoulder surgery. The Sharks are otherwise settled, with Sam Stonestreet taking the other wing slot in place of Ronaldo Mulitalo (ACL). The Sharks will start 1-19 as named on Tuesday.

Titans: Lachlan Ilias is set for a club debut after halfback Jayden Campbell succumbed to a hamstring injury earlier in the week. Ilias will partner AJ Brimson in the halves, while Auckland-born rookie Siale Faeamani will make his NRL debut on the wing. Max Feagai is also set for a maiden Titans appearance and young gun Cooper Bai is listed on the six-man bench. There are no late changes, with the Titans to start 1-19 as named.

Numbers Game

• The Sharks have won only two of their past 12 Round 1 games.
• The Titans have not defeated the Sharks in Sydney since 2017.
• The Sharks have won 11 of their past 12 games against the Titans.
• The Titans conceded 30 points per game in 2025.
• The Sharks have scored 98 points in their last two games against the Titans.