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Fri September 3 2010, 7:30PM AEST GMT+10Fri: Brisbane Broncos 16 l. Canberra Raiders 18 at
Suncorp Stadium, Castlemaine Street, Milton, Brisbane (QLD)Crowd: 38,872
Fri September 3 2010, 7:30PM AEST GMT+10Fri: Gold Coast Titans 21 d. Wests Tigers 18 at
Skilled Park, Robina, Gold Coast (QLD)Crowd: 26,103
Sat September 4 2010, 5:30PM AEST GMT+10Sat: Parramatta Eels 12 l. New Zealand Warriors 26 at
Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta, Sydney (NSW)Crowd: 11,383
Sat September 4 2010, 7:30PM AEST GMT+10Sat: Penrith Panthers 50 d. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12 at
CUA Stadium Penrith, Mulgoa Road, Penrith, Sydney (NSW)Crowd: 10,997
Sat September 4 2010, 7:30PM AEST GMT+10Sat: North Queensland Cowboys 8 l. Sydney Roosters 18 at
Dairy Farmers Stadium, Kirwan, Townsville (QLD)Crowd: 12,033
Sun September 5 2010, 2:00PM AEST GMT+10Sun: Melbourne Storm 34 d. Newcastle Knights 4 at
AAMI Park, Melbourne, VIC (AUS)Crowd: 20,517
Sun September 5 2010, 3:00PM AEST GMT+10Sun: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 24 l. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30 at
Brookvale Oval, Brookvale, Sydney (NSW)Crowd: 15,933
Sun September 5 2010, 7:00PM AEST GMT+10Sun: St George Illawarra Dragons 38 d. South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 at
Kogarah Jubilee Oval, Kogarah, Sydney (NSW)Crowd: 18,274
Sat September 4, 2010
Source: www.raiders.com.auThe Canberra Raiders have overcome their critics, naysayers and early season doubters to play finals football this year, after a thrilling 18-16 win over the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
Once again the Raiders defence was the big factor in the win, with the Green Machine constantly scrambling to save everything the Broncos threw at them.
Tom Learoyd-Lahrs was the star for the Raiders with his forward charges leading the impressive forward pack, while the backline constantly stood up to the experienced Broncos charges.
Both teams showed no sign of the big occasion getting to them early, with solid structured footy the order of the day in the opening exchanges.
The tide started to turn towards the Broncos with the home side choosing an aerial path early on, but some solid goal line defence from the Raiders kept the Broncos at bay.
A mistake from Brisbane and an ensuing penalty gave the Raiders some field position after 18 minutes and they made the most of it, with Joel Monaghan climbing high to tap the ball back to Daniel Vidot to score. Jarrod Croker converted and it was 6-0.
The same play brought more success a few minutes later when once again Campese hoisted the ball towards Monaghan, who this time found Josh Dugan to score. Croker once again converted and it was 12-0.
The Raiders conceded a try after 25 minutes when Andrew McCullogh dummied his way through the Raiders defence, after a mistake from Jarrod Croker gave the Broncos a scrum feed 20 metres out from the line. Corey Parker hit the post with the conversion and it was 12-4.
The Broncos sustained pressure for the remainder of the first half with several chances to score after the Raiders made a series of mistakes, but the Green Machine's defence held firm and it remained 12-4 at half time.
The second half started like the first, with a real arm wrestle developing as both sides looked to get the better of the field position. The Raiders stayed patient and soaked up the Brisbane pressure and then started to build some of their own.
Their patience paid off when a Broncos error gave the Raiders a chance to score and they took it when Josh McCrone threw a spectacular cut out pass to find Vidot in the corner. Croker converted from the sideline and it was 18-4 with 21 minutes remaining.
A try to the Broncos after 68 minutes came through Jahral Yow Yeh after Corey Parker through a sneaky pass between his legs for the Brisbane winger to score in the corner. The Broncos found themselves in range after Josh Hoffman scooped up a Josh McCrone chip kick. Corey Parker kicked the conversion from the sideline and it was 18-10.
The Broncos scored again just three minutes later after the Raiders gave away a penalty on the last tackle and Matt Gillett scored the next set of six. Parker converted and it was two point game at 18-16.
In a nail biting finish to the game the Broncos kept coming at the Raiders with wave after wave of attack putting the Raiders under pressure, but the Green Machine held firm in defence for a memorable victory and a trip back to the NRL finals.
CANBERRA RAIDERS 18 (Daniel Vidot 2, Josh Dugan tries; Jarrod Croker 3 goals) defeated BRISBANE BRONCOS 16 (Andrew McCullogh; Jahral Yow Yeh, Matt Gillett tries; Corey Parker 2 goals) at Suncorp Stadium.
Wed September 1, 2010
IF the Queensland Rugby League continues to block the Independent Commission, News Limited has an ace up its sleeve. An endgame.
It will simply give the 16 NRL clubs its share of the game for nothing - and let them overthrow the ARL administration. That's what I've been told. With all the players contracted to the clubs, it would be a very short battle for control of the game in Australia.
It's something the ARL board should bear in mind when it meets tomorrow to continue discussions. Thankfully, we have read in the last couple of the days, it looks like News won't be forced to enact such a dramatic and divisive manoeuvre.
The Sydney Morning Herald today reports that the identity of some commissioners could be known as soon as next week and that we are on track for a November 1 handover.
With television negotiations to begin in the summer and expansion bidders waiting in the wings to learn their fate for 2013, we really can't afford to wait any longer.
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THE decision to show Gold Coast-Wests Tigers into NSW this Friday raises plenty of questions about our future television deals.
The Brisbane-Canberra game is sudden death and Broncos have not missed the finals since 1991. The only real interest in Titans-Tigers is whether Gold Coast can get a home final - and why Sydney audiences would be particularly obsessed with that, I'm not sure.
Some people say if we want a lot of money from television networks, we have to be prepared to give them what they want.
TV companies and sporting organisations clearly have conflicting objectives.
As a sporting competition we want to spread our game nationally and give all clubs more or less equal exposure for their sponsors.
Television networks want to maximise ratings and make money.
Now, if we were paying them to show rugby league, then it is fair enough for them to get their way. But they are paying us!
We have the whip hand.
If they want to show rugby league, they should do as they are told - more or less. A way of further lessening their power and increasing our leverage is to split up the rights. In the NRL's new TV deal, either that will happen or Seven will get exclusive free-to-air.
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THE Ryan Tandy affair has now been handed over to police.
Regular readers of this column would well realise my thoughts on gambling and rugby league. Things will get much, much worse in professional sports before they get better - just look at the cricket.
And gawd-knows-what sort of things are happening out there in the world of semi-professional sports, where there isn't the same media scrutiny and the players earn much less.
There will be a premiership tainted by betting scandals in our lifetimes, folks.
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CONGRATULATIONS to Tas Baitieri's son, Jason, who has signed a two-year contract with Catalans.
The Sydney Roosters rookie will hopefully find himself in the French national team soon. And with his pedigree, let's hope it's unlikely he makes the next step down a well-worn path - rugby union!
stevemascord@hotmail.com
Round 26
Brisbane Broncos 16 l. Canberra Raiders 18
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