Parra captain blows up in wild Raiders win

By Chris De Silva and Marc Churches

The Canberra Raiders person gone backmost into the apical 8 following a thrilling 12-10 triumph implicit the Parramatta Eels successful the Gold Coast.

Tonight's crippled started successful a bizarre manner with neither squad capable to people immoderate points during the archetypal half, successful what was the NRL's archetypal scoreless opening fractional since Round One of the 2019 season.

After a dour archetypal half, Canberra notched back-to-back tries earlier the Eels stormed backmost precocious and lone to beryllium denied successful arguable fashion.

Eels winger Maika Sivo crossed implicit successful the 75th infinitesimal to chopped the shortage to 2 points earlier astir producing the match-winner with little than 10 seconds remaining.

The NRL bunker was forced to measurement successful and find whether immoderate foul play oregon a enarthrosis complaint occurred arsenic Jordan Rapana charged towards Sivo successful the country and stopped him from grounding the ball.

Jordan Rapana effort saver connected Maika Sivo (Nine)

Following a lengthy review, the bunker yet deemed the interaction by Rapana to beryllium fair, contempt the pleas of Eels prima Clint Gutherson, who was near livid with The Bunker's call.

"But [Rapana's] starring with his knees and [Sivo's] bleeding," Gutherson told referee Adam Gee. "How's that not a punishment try? That's a horrible call."

Despite the contention surrounding the call, league greats Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston backed the video referee's decision.

"I was good with it, I hold with the officials," Smith said connected Nine's coverage.

"I cognize determination volition beryllium questions raised astir Jordan's interaction with Maika Sivo and whether determination was immoderate limb oregon immoderate enactment to effort and wrapper with his arms."

"I'm good with it," Thurston added.

Clint Gutherson (Nine)

"Obviously if his limb comes successful interaction with [Sivo's] head, it's a wholly antithetic decision, but he's got it close and he's won the crippled for the Raiders.

"That's what you're trained to do. That's what you privation from your fullback."

The Bunker besides received enactment from Storm large Billy Slater, who said Rapana could person injured himself had helium tried to tackle Sivo successful a "conventional" manner.

"It's committedness isn't it? The crippled is connected the enactment and I don't deliberation it's imaginable to marque a accepted tackle there," helium said connected Nine's coverage.

"You can't get down debased capable and unfastened up yourself to getting knocked out. You've got a work of attraction to not lone the subordinate with the football, you've got a work of attraction to yourself arsenic well.

Jordan Rapana of the Raiders celebrates a effort during the circular 19 NRL lucifer betwixt the Parramatta Eels and the Canberra Raiders astatine Cbus Super Stadium, connected July 22, 2021, successful Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images) (Getty)

"No 1 was injured and I deliberation that was astir apt the champion lawsuit script the mode it ended up."

Despite his archetypal disappointment, Gutherson told Nine aft the lucifer that the Eels "probably shouldn't fto it get to that constituent of the game".

Tonight's effect could person looked overmuch antithetic had Gutherson converted connected Sivo's 75th-minute effort from the sideline, which perchance could've forced a Golden Point ending.

Heading into tonight's match, the Raiders were dealt a cruel stroke erstwhile it was revealed earlier successful the week prima playmaker Jack Wighton and young prima Xavier Savage would beryllium unavailable.

As it stands, the Eels stay successful the 4th spot connected the NRL ladder, portion the Raiders determination into eighth.

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