Bronson Harrison celebrates scoring against Newcastle. Photo / Getty Images
After recording just two home wins this season, the Raiders kept their finals chances alive by destroying Newcastle at Canberra Stadium yesterday.
Before yesterday's match against a Newcastle side who were 11th on the table going into the round, the Raiders had recorded just two home victories in a poor
season. With hopes of launching a serious play-off challenge fading fast, David Furner's men badly needed an encouraging home display.
Newcastle, in hot form on a three-match winning streak, should have proved sterner opponents. But a hat-trick from rising star Josh Dugan and 16 points from goalkicker Jarrod Croker gave the Green machine the momentum and magic needed for a season-boosting charge.
Newcastle will rue the loss of their winning streak and the damage to their points differential could prove especially costly on an already tight NRL ladder.
The slaughter began in just the third minute when Dugan caught a perfect but unexpected kick from frontrower David Shillington.
Canberra were over two minutes later when winger Daniel Vidot took the ball from the scrum and found no one between him and tryline.
By the 26th minute it was 36-0 and game over.
In the second half Newcastle grabbed some consolation through tries from Akuila Uate, Isaac De Gois and Adam MacDougall but it was too little, too late for the visitors.
Knights coach Rick Stone was devastating in his analysis of his team's effort.
"This is disgusting and it's not what we want to stand for," Stone said. "It just has a real bad smell and a weak underbelly about it."
The loss leaves Newcastle in a must-win situation heading into next Saturday's clash with North Queensland in Townsville.
For Canberra the win will provide much needed confidence and could signal the start of a streak with the Raiders facing lowly Cronulla in round 20.
Canberra's impressive victory leaves both teams locked on 18 points with seven rounds remaining in the regular season. They are four points shy of the top eight.
- AAP
