Hot Dragons breathing fire at right time
More importantly, it also keeps the Dragons’ finals hopes alive, snapping a two-game losing streak to leave them just one win outside the top eight.
Despite the blown-out scoreline, the visitors had to do it tough and were dealt a big blow before kickoff when captain Ben Creagh was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
And the Raiders weren’t short of spark, with fullback Jordan Rapana impressing in his first home game with 147 metres and a try. The Raiders also started strongly, opening the scoring after just two minutes when Josh Papalii barnstormed his way over from a set play.
But the Dragons hit back immediately through winger Morris, who burrowed his way over from dummy-half in the corner to trail 6- 4, before crossing again from an overlap midway through the first half.
The Raiders earned a 12-10 lead into the break when livewire fiveeighth Anthony Milford found open space and put Rapana over for his first try for the Raiders.
They then extended that lead after the break when centre Jarrod Croker picked up his 17th try of the season.
But the Dragons weren’t done, and it was an ex-Raiders player who showed them the way. After receiving a frosty reception, Dugan powered over in the 50th minute to narrow the gap to two points. Dragons centre Peter Mata’utia then crossed to steal a two-point lead, before Jason Nightingale nailed a pinpoint cross-field kick from Benji Marshall for a 24-16 scoreline with 17 minutes to go.
Morris then picked up his third, and Nightingale his second, with the duo scoring spectacular acrobatic tries in the corner within minutes of each other to put the icing on the cake.
Raiders interchange Mitch Cornish was put on report for a crusher tackle on Morris in the second half.
Meanwhile, retribution spurred the Storm to a 48-6 record defeat of the cellar- dwelling Cronulla Sharks in Melbourne last night.
Last week the Storm inexplicably blew a 10-point lead and were dramatically overhauled in the final three minutes in a crucial loss to the Knights which delivered their top four aspirations a body blow.
Clearly determined to make amends for that aberration, the Storm were at their clinical best to blow the woeful Sharks off the park and keep them firmly rooted in wooden spoon territory.
The minor consolation for the injury- depleted visitors came when wing Valentine Holmes scored their sole try midway through the second half to avoid becoming the only team in history to be held scoreless in five matches in one season.
The Storm scored six tries in the first half alone, nine in total, with Cameron Smith kicking six conversions. Kiwis prop Jesse Bromwich was instrumental in laying the platform and starred in a number of attacking movements.
With the result well in hand, the Storm weren’t as ruthless in the second half but still piled on the misery with replacement Tim Glasby collecting a brace and Jordan McLean, who sat out last week’s loss, also crashing over.