NRL 2021: Canberra Raiders sneak up on New Zealand Warriors to keep finals dream alive

The New Zealand Warriors’ finals hopes were officially dashed with Friday night’s loss to the Canberra Raiders in Mackay.

Rapana (R) was the man of the hour on Friday night. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Canberra’s top eight hopes are still alive after Jordan Rapana missed a penalty goal and then redeemed himself with a try at the death to seal a thrilling 28-16 comeback win over the Warriors.

Rapana was at the centre of one of the wildest finishes of the year when the sides met back in Round 3, denied by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck with what would have been the matchwinning try in the left corner of GIO Stadium.

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But he had his revenge in Mackay, finishing off a brave shift to the left that broke a 16-all deadlock with two minutes remaining.

“He tells me every week what he can do, and he’s actually doing it so I can’t criticise him,” a relieved coach Ricky Stuart said.

Hudson Young added another try as the full-time siren sounded as the Raiders put a controversial week behind them to move ahead of the Sharks into eighth spot.

“I’m feeling a lot better than what I was at half-time,” Stuart said.

The Raiders’ finals dreams appeared in jeopardy after they leaked a try within 40 seconds of kick-off (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

The Green Machine had earlier conceded a try in the opening minute and then gave up two tries in the space of five minutes as the Warriors punished some poor kick defusals.

But the introduction of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad turned the game on its head. The fullback crossed just before halftime and then set up Seb Kris for the first of his two four-pointers right after the break.

The game looked to be headed for golden point when Rapana missed a penalty goal from 40 metres out, Corey Horsburgh produced two quick errors and then Reece Walsh missed a field goal in the final eight minutes.

But the Raiders chanced their arm late with a shift to the left, which Rapana finished off in style to cap an outstanding night that saw him finish with a game-high 225 metres.

Season over

Warriors fans were dusting off the calculators in the first half, trying to work out how their team could sneak into the top eight.

But even Einstein wouldn’t have been able to produce an equation that gets them into the finals after they blew another big lead to lose a match they really should have won.

The sliding doors moment came before halftime when Chad Townsend’s grubber cannoned into the upright and fell into the arms of Sean O’Sullivan who couldn’t control the ball as he went to the line.

The Raiders scored moments later, and the Warriors never threatened again. It ends a frustrating year that has again been ruined by Covid and injuries, but they’ll be kicking themselves for their inability to close out tight games.

“It’s disappointing. It probably summed our season up,” disappointed Warriors coach Nathan Brown said.

“The way we managed the second half was horrible from out point of view, whether it be our discipline on kick-chase tackles, whether it be our kick selection, whether it be passing the ball.

“There’s a million things that we could’ve done a little bit better to give ourselves a better chance.”

To make matters worse, Chad Townsend (AC joint) is done for the season, while Matt Lodge is facing another suspension after he was placed on report for a hip drop tackle on Joseph Tapine.

Chad Townsend won’t feature in the Warriors’ last game of the season after picking up an injury on Friday night. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Shifting the goalposts

It’s probably a good thing the Raiders piled on the points late, otherwise there would have been outrage across the ditch after the touch judges waved away a Reece Walsh conversion that looked to have snuck inside the posts.

The young fullback had a tough day at the office last week against Brisbane, but he looked a lot more confident on Friday with two goals from three attempts.

But it could have been a perfect night at the office after he looked to have curled one between the uprights as he tried to convert Rocco Berry’s first half try.

Instead, it was waved away, and the Warriors were denied what could have been a vital two points.

Originally published as NRL 2021: Canberra Raiders sneak up on New Zealand Warriors to keep finals dream alive