In a thrilling conclusion to their home season, Canberra narrowly lost to the Eels with a last-minute field goal, which left them heartbroken.
The match marked a pivotal moment, as both teams were eager to rebound from previous losses. For the Raiders, it was a crucial opportunity to secure their spot in the finals for the first time in NRLW history.
The first scoring opportunity came early. Following a high tackle penalty, the Eels capitalized. Rory Owen broke through the Raiders' defense, scoring the first try. Racheal Pearson's conversion put Parramatta ahead 6-0.
The Raiders, despite showing resilience, struggled with discipline at times. Parramatta's Boss Kapua extended the lead with a powerful try soon after, making it 12-0 after Pearson converted.
As the first half waned, Canberra pressed hard, yet a try from Bobbi Law was ruled held up, and they went into halftime trailing.
With the second half underway, an energized Raiders side aimed to shift momentum. Sheridan Gallagher finally crossed the line after a determined run, narrowing the deficit to 12-6 following a successful conversion from Zahara Temara.
Canberra persisted with attacking plays, and Charlotte Basham found the try line, bringing the score to 12-10 after another failed conversion.
A sin binning for Simaima Taufa provided a pivotal moment. The Eels took advantage, and Owen scored again, putting them 16-10 ahead, even though the conversion attempt missed.
Refusing to back down, the Raiders equalized through Isabella Waterman in the corner, followed by a successful conversion from Temara, leveling the score at 16-all with mere minutes remaining.
<pHowever, in a nail-biting finale, Pearson's field goal secured a 17-16 victory for Parramatta. Looking ahead, the Raiders will now prepare to face the Tigers in Sydney, where they will continue their fight for a finals spot.