Round 22
Canberra Raiders 74 d. Penrith Panthers 12

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Raiders break records and Panthers
Mon August 11, 2008
Source: www.raiders.com.au

The CFMEU Canberra Raiders scored the club's biggest win in 15 years, overcoming a troubled week for the club to thump the hapless Penrith Panthers 74-12 at Canberra Stadium yesterday.

The red-hot Raiders had records falling like snow flakes on a bone-chillingly cold afternoon, as the home side ran in 13 tries to two. The game was dead locked at 12-all after 25 minutes, before the Raiders stepped up a few gears and smashed the Panthers with 62 unanswered points.

The Raiders' chief destroyers, Queanbeyan pair Terry Campese and Trevor Thurling, scored seven tries between them. Campese used footwork and skill to score four tries, while Thurling simply refused to be tackled and bullocked his way to a hat-trick of four-pointers.

Five-eighth Campese went within one conversion of equalling Mal Meninga's club record 38-points in a match. Campese scored 18 points in each half, and even passed up the opportunity to kick the final conversion - from next to the uprights ? and in doing so he passed up the opportunity to write his name alongside one of rugby league's greatest in the record books.

But, with 10 conversions, Campese did level David Furner's record for most conversions in a match.

The win more than doubled the club's previous biggest head to head margin against the mountain men (24 points in 2000) and ensured a memorable afternoon for the 6500 Canberra fans who braved the conditions and rewarded their side with a standing ovation.

Raiders' captain Alan Tongue said his side had learnt from last week's loss to Brisbane and the team's confidence was soaring as it re-entered the top-eight. His coach, Neil Henry, said the win would do wonders for their differential, but was reward for hard work.

Panthers' coach - former Raiders' mentor - Matthew Elliott, said his side was blown away by the "fabulous" Raiders. But he, and his captain Petro Civoniceva, were reeling at their team's poor attitude.

CANBERRA RAIDERS 74 (T Campese 4, T Thurling 3, D Tilse, J Monaghan, J Carney, D Milne, A Tongue, T Learoyd-Lahrs tries; T Campese 10, M Herbert goals) d. PENRITH PANTHERS 12 (M Gordon, R Wesser tries; M Gordon 2 goals) at Canberra Stadium.

Referee: Jason Robinson
Crowd: 6,500
Halftime: Raiders 38-12

BY THE CLOCK
2min The Panthers turn broken play into attack. Fullback Rhys Wesser picks up a stray pass and gives the ball to dangerous centre Michael Jennings, who offloads to winger Michael Gordon. Gordon scores between the posts. Gordon converts. Panthers 6-0.

6min The Raiders get on the scoreboard courtesy of a Terry Campese try. Raiders' halfback Marc Herbert grubbered towards the upright on the last tackle, the ball bounced off the upright, and Wesser spilled it into the path of Campese who scored the try. Campese converts. 6-all.

14min Raiders' front-rower Dane Tilse puts his side in front with his third four-pointer of the year. Tilse dived on a Campese grubber and the video ref found nothing wrong with it. Campese converts. Raiders 12-6.

20min Rhys Wesser levels the scores, scoring a try right up the middle of the park. Wesser slid through two Raiders' forwards and stepped around fullback David Milne to score between the posts. Gordon converts. 12-all.

26min Raiders' centre Joel Monaghan hits back with the Raiders' third try. Monaghan received the ball out wide off a Raiders' set move. He got outside his opposite number and found the try line. Raiders 16-12.

31min Trevor Thurling scores with his second touch of the ball since coming off the bench. The Raiders built pressure on the Panthers' line, before Thurling broke the line with a bullocking run. Campese converts. Raiders 22-12.

34min The Raiders are in again, this time in a stunning fashion. The resurgent Colin Best found a gap in the line on his own 30m line. Best charged up field before offloading to flying winger Justin Carney who scored in the corner. Raiders 26-12.

37min Campese scores his second try of the match ? and his side's third in six minutes ? to give the Raiders a 20-point lead going into half time. Campese converts. Raiders 32-12.

40min Thurling slams down his second try as the half time siren sounds. The Raiders cap off a memorable final ten minutes to the half, effectively burying the Panthers' hopes of driving home with the two competition points. Campese converts. Raiders 38-12.

43min Half time did nothing to stem the flow of Raiders try, as David Milne scores his first try of the match. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs carried the ball powerfully returning a drop-out, before offloading to Milne. Milne charged through Wesser to score. Campese converts. Raiders 44-12.

57min Thurling grabs his hat-trick to help the Raiders wrack up their half-century. The Raiders had back-to-back sets at the paper-thin Panthers defensive line, and the hard-running Thurling was never going to be stopped. Campese converts. Raiders 50-12.

66min Campese follows his Queanbeyan-brother Thurling and registers his hat-trick. Campese converts. Raiders 56-12

73min The Raiders can do no-wrong. Thurling looked likely to score his fourth try of the match when he was given the ball from a Herbert line-break. But the cover defence caught up to the interchange forward. His pass hit the deck, but Alan Tongue kicked it through and dived on it to score the home team's 11th try. Campese converts. Raiders 62-12.

75min Campese grabs his fourth try, another long range effort by the Raiders. They are unstoppable. Campese converts, and is now only two points short of Mal Meninga's 38-point record. Raiders 66-12.

80th min Try number 13 for the Raiders! Big Tom Learoyd-Lahrs caps off a memorable day, bursting over the line. Herbert converts. Raiders 74-12.

WHAT THEY SAID

RAIDERS' COACH NEIL HENRY
"I wouldn't have dreamt of a performance like that. But we have put a lot of effort into where we are now. We have a bit of momentum, but it's easily taken away."

"Full credit to the team. It's been a difficult week and today was a crucial game for us. We gave up 28 points in for-and-against last week, but we got a whole lot more back today."

"Glenn Buttriss is the one [the injury] we are worried about. It looks like he has re-injured his medial ligament and has to be out next week. We have been through three number nines now, and it's an important position for us, so we will have to have a look at what we can do."

PENRITH COACH MATTHEW ELLIOTT
"We had our pants pulled down, our bums spanked and whatever happens after that - that happened as well."

"They [the Raiders] were fantastic. We weren't. There's not a real lot to say after a loss like that. There is a lot to feel, but when you feel this way it's best chewing on it, reflect and come up with a plan of attack."

WORTH NOTING
* Terry Campese scored 4 tries and kicked 10 goals to fall just short of Mal Meninga's club point's record of 38 points in one game
* Trevor Thurling scored his first career hat trick
* Marc Herbert kicked his first career NRL goal
* The Raiders play the Knights at Canberra Stadium this Sunday at 2.00pm

Report Source: www.raiders.com.au

Advanced Search