SPORT Raiders’ decider dream dies in high-cost sin bin
A DRAMATIC sin-binning to fullback Jack Wighton ended Canberra’s hopes of a fairytale Grand Final spot, with Melbourne beating the Raiders 14-12 last night to book the Storm a premiership-deciding showdown against Cronulla.
The Storm march through to next Sunday’s Grand Final for the first time since 2012 with penalty goals proving the difference.
The Storm lacked the polish which had seen them rise to this year’s minor premiership, but key players Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk stepped up when needed.
After being bundled out of the corresponding game last year at their home ground, anything less than a Grand Final appearance would have ranked the season as a disappointment for the Storm.
By contrast, the Raiders exceeded expectations all season.
Coach Ricky Stuart rebuilt the club into a genuine premiership force and with the 17 players who took the field contracted for next season, the Raiders will start next season full of hope.
And they were brave until the bitter end. Captain Jarrod Croker played the bulk of the game with a knee problem while Joey Leilua limped his way through the second half before quitting inside the final 10 minutes with a hamstring injury.
But it was the sin-binning of Wighton that proved a bridge too far for the Raiders.
Down 8-6 midway through the second half Wighton was banished for 10 minutes when he held on too long to Marika Koroibete.
Barely a minute had passed on the game clock before the Storm made Canberra pay.
A wide shift to the edge where Rapana – who was switched to fullback to cover for Wighton – usually defends allowed Cheyse Blair to score with the Storm extending their lead to six.
The Storm’s lead grew to 14-6 when Smith added a penalty goal. But the Raiders were not done with yet, when their makeshift right edge found Elliott Whitehead on the wing to score on the sideline to have the Raiders trailing by two with three minutes left on the clock.
Cronk almost scored the opening try of the match, when he almost sliced through the Canberra defence only to spill the ball just short of the line. A Smith penalty gave the Storm a 2-0 lead after 16 minutes.
The Raiders then found their groove. Leilua looked most threatening on the right edge, causing plenty of problems for opposite Blair.
After passing to Leilua for the bulk of the half, a variation by Whitehead caught the Storm defence short.
The back-rower cut out Leilua to give winger Jordan Rapana just enough space to slide over after 23 minutes for a club record 23rd season try.