Raiders claim tight victory over Souths in Perth

The Raiders were looking to redeem their slower start to their season with a win off the back of their loss against Newcastle last week, while the Rabbitohs were looking to continue their winning momentum on the West Coast.

Both sides' opening sets looked strong, with both forward packs gaining momentum.

Raiders second-rower Hudson Young claimed the first points of the match for the Raiders off the back of a grubber from hooker Tom Starling. The try was successfully converted to put Canberra in front 6-0.

The Rabbitohs responded not long after, with South Sydney five-eighth Cody Walker going over in the right-hand corner off the back of an Alex Johnston offload. Rabbitohs centre Latrell Mitchell missed the conversion, making the score 6-4.

Canberra winger Saveilo Tamale come out firing from halfway to take the ball and run for it off the back of an error from Souths. Halfback Ethan Sanders successfully converted the try in front of the posts to create an eight-point lead.

The Raiders kept the scoring momentum going with fullback Kaeo Weekes going over following an offload from centre Simi Sasagi. A successful conversion by Ethan Sanders saw the score become 18-4.

With two minutes to go in the first half, Canberra’s Hudson Young goes over for a double off the back of an ankle tap from five-eighth Ethan Strange, and a try assist from Sasagi.

Sanders successfully converted to make the score 24-4 going into the sheds.

Going into the second half, the Raiders were looking to keep their point-scoring ways going; however, South Sydney took the first points of the second half with Cody Walker scoring a double, creating a linebreak through the Raiders defence off the back of a try assist from halfback Jamie Humphreys.

Latrell Mitchell successfully converted the try to create a fourteen-point gap.

South Sydney quickly backed this up, not even five minutes later, after Alex Johnston made a classic run down the left-hand edge before offloading to halfback Jamie Humphreys for him to slice straight over for four. 

In the 55th minute, Souths centre Latrell Mitchell made a linebreak and pushed through five separate Raiders defenders and edges over the try line to score. He successfully converted his own try, closing the gap even further to 24-22/

Raiders fullback Kaeo Weekes made a stellar linebreak through a gap-filled South Sydney defence to make a nearly 70-meter break down the middle to score.. Ethan Sanders made it five successful conversions for Canberra and sees the Raiders in front 30-22.

Canberra backed up Weekes’ stellar try not long after, thanks to five-eighth Ethan Strange scoring straight under the posts after a Hudson Young try assist in the 70th minute.

Ethan Sanders converted in front of the posts successfully, putting the Raiders in front 36 - 22.

With six minutes to go, Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston made a linebreak down the left-hand edge thanks to second-rower Tallis Duncan’s offload. Mitchell converts to make the score 36-28.

South Sydney’s winger Campbell Graham made another linebreak in the 75th minute through the Raiders’ defence and passes to Rabbitohs centre Jack Wighton for him to score against his former team. Mitchell converted once again to make it a two point game.

With an intense and heart-rate-rising final five minutes of the match, the Raiders hung on to a two-point lead to make the final score 36-34.

The Raiders will look to go for back-to-back wins at GIO Stadium next Friday night against the Storm.