LeagueNews.co | Nick Loken
The Canberra Raiders suffered their first defeat of the 2025 season, losing 40-12 to Manly at 4 Pines Park.
The Raiders' defense initially held strong against Manly's attacks, but errors and a lack of possession allowed the Sea Eagles to build a formidable lead.
Despite early defensive efforts, the Raiders found themselves struggling to keep up with Manly's offensive pressure.
Sebastian Kris appeared to score first for the Raiders, but the try was disallowed due to an obstruction from Corey Horsburgh.
Shortly after, Horsburgh was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul, leaving the Raiders with one less player on the field.
This allowed Manly to break through the Raiders' defense, with Reuben Garrick scoring the first points of the match.
The Raiders were unable to recover from their early setbacks, as Manly continued to dominate offensively.
Brendan Elliot, Albert Hopoate, and Daly Cherry-Evans all crossed over for tries, extending Manly's lead further.
Despite efforts from the Raiders' Jordan Rapana and Caleb Aekins to put points on the board, they were unable to overcome Manly's strong performance.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart acknowledged the team's defeat, stating, "We knew coming into this match that Manly would be a tough opponent.
They capitalized on the errors and lack of possession, and we were unable to recover from the early setbacks." Stuart also commended Manly for their impressive performance, acknowledging their strong attack and effective execution on the field.
Looking ahead, the Raiders will need to regroup and address their errors to bounce back from this loss.
Stuart emphasized the importance of learning from their mistakes and working on improving their defensive efforts moving forward.
Despite the defeat, Stuart expressed confidence in the team's ability to bounce back and continue to compete at a high level in the remainder of the season.