NRL: Raiders romp against Knights

Canberra Raiders five-eighth Blake Austin was a key man in their dominant win over the Newcastle Knights. Photo / Getty Images

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart believes Blake Austin will one day play for NSW, but it wouldn't be fair to throw him into a must-win Origin II despite his stellar performance in Canberra's 44-22 victory over the Newcastle Knights.

The livewire five-eighth set-up one of the four tries as Canberra led 24-10 at halftime at Hunter Stadium on Saturday.

He then delivered the decisive blows for the Raiders with tries in the 55th and 60th minutes in the round 13 NRL game.

The effort prompted talk of Blues selection, but former Blues coach and halfback Stuart isn't pushing Austin's claims.

"He will definitely get his crack. I believe he will get his crack at some stage, whenever that is," Stuart said.

"I hope it's not game two ... Laurie (Daley) has already said he's going to stick to his pairing.

"It wouldn't be fair to Blake, so I don't even think it's on the radar, but I think if he continues this form, and the main thing about his form is his consistency ... yeah, he'll get a crack at representative football one day."

Out to end their losing streak at three games, the Raiders led 18-0 in the 21st minute courtesy of a double from winger Edrick Lee and a try to fullback Jack Wighton.

Lee was gifted a try off an Austin break and kick through in the fourth minute before climbing high to mark a Sam Williams bomb and score.

The conversion of the opening try took Jarrod Croker to 1000 NRL points and he added two more from a penalty in the 14th minute.

The Raiders looked set for a rout when Wighton crossed untouched from a Williams pass in the 20th minute but the Knights rallied.

Winger Akuila Uate burrowed through to score in the 26th minute and Joey Leilua grabbed a Kurt Gidley grubber in the 30th to make it 18-10, but the Raiders hit back when Josh Papalii waltzed over in the 39th.

Newcastle scored via Sione Mata'utia in the 46th minute after Uate knocked back a Gidley chip, but Austin crossed from a Sisa Waqa knock-back before throwing a dummy and stepping through for his hat-trick.

Dane Gagai edged over for the Knights in the 64th minute to make it 36-22, but a Croker penalty and converted try sealed the deal.

The win was Canberra's sixth this season and the loss was the Knights' eighth in their past nine games.

Newcastle coach Rick Stone said the loss of key players such as Jeremy Smith and Jarrod Mullen to injury was a factor in the loss, which also featured a hamstring injury to David Fa'alogo and bicep tear to Jack Stockwell.

However, Stone said his side's lethargic start wasn't good enough.

"The opposition played all right, but I just didn't think we handled the start particularly well at all, particularly with our defence in the middle," Stone said.

- AAP