LeagueNews.co | Robbie Hamilton
In a closely contested match, the Dragons faced the Raiders in Canberra but ultimately fell short, losing 28-24.
Despite a determined second-half comeback, the Dragons struggled with a long list of injuries that necessitated several new inclusions in their line-up.
Tyrell Sloan was a standout player, scoring two tries and assisting Kyle Flanagan for another late in the game.
The Raiders opened the scoring when Xavier Savage executed an impressive finish following an offload from Matt Timoko, taking the lead at 6-0.
The game became tense when Jaydn Su'A was put on report for a dangerous tackle against Raiders captain Joseph Tapine.
Although Trey Mooney appeared to extend the Raiders' lead by scoring off a contested bomb, the try was ruled out due to Mooney being offside.
The Dragons' valiant efforts provided moments of excitement, but ultimately, they could not overcome the Raiders' lead.