Raiders 30 Dragons 17


Reece Robinson scored a double against the Dragons last night.

Reece Robinson scored a double against the Dragons last night. Photo: Getty Images



St George Illawarra’s 13-year hoodoo in Canberra continues after a brilliant Reece Robinson double sparked the Raiders to a 30-17 victory, their first of the NRL season.


Robinson proved life after fullback Josh Dugan won’t be so hard for the Green Machine, scoring two tries and involving himself in another in front of a crowd of 12,115 at Canberra Stadium.


A deft chip kick from Dragons halfback Nathan Fien had winger Brett Morris open the scoring in the 17th minute when he both caught and placed the ball whilst in mid-air.


However after a shaky start the Raiders’ ball security improved light years beyond the previous two weeks, starving the Dragons of possession and completing six consecutive sets midway through the first half.


That sustained pressure helped the Raiders hit back when Robinson claimed a ‘Steven Bradbury’ try in the 31st minute, watching three players fall down in front of him to comfortably place down a Blake Ferguson grubber in the corner.


Robinson then scored from dummy-half minutes after halftime when centre Jarrod Croker was pulled down just short of the line following a 60m effort.


Both sides continued to trade punches, until Robinson broke down the left flank from a kick return with three minutes to go to give Croker his second try of the match and seal the win.


The Dragons may have extra cause to feel aggrieved with their third straight loss after Morris was controversially denied a try in the third minute due to the video referee ruling Raiders five-eighth Josh McCrone was obstructed in the lead up.