Live: Raiders turn on the style in Canberra after Dragons finally snap losing streak

The Raiders get a penalty as Tom Chester manages to pretend he’s playing union at the ruck, hands and feet everywhere.

And then another one – a very nasty high shot from Wiremu Greig
as his opponent was already wrapped up. Blimey – that’s a really nasty shot, grubby.

That’s not how you want a milestone game to end – Thomas Mikaele
is being helped from the field down the sideline by two staff members after being cut down by a tackle earlier in the move.

It looked like he may have got a whack on or around the knee.

But this won’t count as there is a knock on.

It was remarkable acrobatics from the Cowboys winger Zac Laybutt to try and keep the ball in – somehow doing so despite being horizontal above the sideline.

But it went forward.

Never mind.

That is remarkable.

The Raiders looked to have hit the pause button, which must have confused the Cowboys because they stopped too.

The Raiders passed the ball around a bit on the left side, then Tom Starling stepped off his left foot, darting back to his right and just passed into Seb Kriss who dives over through two more tackles.

The Cowboys missed tackle count is up to 45, there were four in that one sequence alone.

The kick is missed again and it’s 22-6.

I think that first 40 was one of the most entertaining I’ve watched in a while in the NRL.

The Cowboys kick off and the Raiders will have first use of the ball in the second 40, which will do well to match the first.

I don’t think you were the only one napping earlier this afternoon.

Brisbane coach Michael Maguire was not happy, saying his side “missed the start” of the match.

I’d say they missed the first hour of the match to be honest.

Given they’ve spent the best part of six months likely hiding the fact they’re fans of the Red V on Monday’s after football weekends, I’d guess they’d be OK walking into the office tomorrow.

Let’s just shift back up to Brisbane for a second while the Raiders and Cowboys have a rest in Canberra.

Payne Haas was playing his first game in a few weeks for Brisbane and, by and large, was very good.

But Brisbane as a whole were really not.

And he has called out his teammates in speaking to ABC Sport after the game.

“We’re all talk at the moment,” Haas told ABC Sport.

“We keep on saying we’re going to do all these important things on the field, but to be honest, we’re just BS-ing each other.”

Yikes.

You can’t say Haas isn’t exactly walking the walk either – he ran for a game high 281 metres in a losing effort for Brisbane – with 23 runs in an 80-minute effort that saw him make 91 metres post-contact with seven tackle breaks from 16 hit ups.

Big numbers from the big man, with big words as well.

A very good half of flowing, attacking football from the Canberra Raiders.

Boy, when they move the ball the way they moved it in that first half they are one of the best teams to watch in the competition.

Lovely stuff from Ethan Strange, who set one up and scored another in an all-action half of football.

Canberra have only won four games all year? FOUR?

Madness.

This has been brilliant to watch.

That’s brilliant, bustling stuff from Ethan Strange there!

Starling makes a linebreak, gives the ball to Strange who passes to Matt Timoko, who is felled 10 metres out.

He plays the ball quickly to Hudson Young, who feeds Strange, who steps off his left foot and spins over to score.

The kick is missed again, Canberra leads 18-6.

OH HERE WE GO!

Xavier Savage was set free after the Cowboys grubber is diffused at one end of the field!

He races up field but Jaxon Purdue IS COMING!

SIGN HIM UP FOR THE COMMIES! HE’S ELECTRIC!

Purdue might challenge Gout Gout over 100 metres if that speed was anything to go by!

A hail Mary pass inside goes to ground and the Cowboys come again.

What a passage of play!

That’s sloppy from the Cowboys, giving the Raiders an avenue to escape their own line with an attempted strip from Thomas Mikaele.

The Raiders kick the ball up field and will start in their attacking half.

But no harm done as Daine Laurie fires a pass to Morgan Smithies, who drops it.

Liam Sutton gets over! A big reach to get over the line after a show and go!

That’s a lovely score from the youngster! Nice football.

He just did enough of a dummy with the eyes and a slight of hand with the hands to fool Ethan Strange.

 Clifford kicks the extras and the Cowboys only trail by 8 after the Raiders’ early dominance.

It’s 14-6.

Oh that was so close for 100-game man Tom Mikaele!

He hasn’t scored an NRL try yet in his 99 and a bit games, but he got within about a cm there of scoring.

Reed Mahoney then tried to go from dummy half but the Raiders were more than able to handle him.

Another brilliant set from the Raiders to put the kick in just outside the in goal.

Scott Drinkwater gathered on the bounce, but then threw a pass with his heels almost on the line as the Cowboys try and go from very deep.

Not advised.

The Cowboys kick short, the ball bounces over the 10 and then there’s knock on by Savelio Tamale – a bit harsh as he looked to knock it backwards as he tried to pick it up.

There tries in five minutes for the Raiders!

That was magical! Absolutely magical!

Daine Laurie showed the speed and intricacy of a halfback with a dummy at first receiver and then breaks the line, showing a clean pair of heels to the Cowboys line.

He passes to Tom Starling in support on his left shoulder who scores.

Magic.

Absolutely magic.

The kick from Sanders is good this time and that’s 14-0 in the blink of an eye.

Oh here we go!

That’s magical from the Raiders.

The Raiders score again in the set after scoring with a wonderful flowing move down from inside their own half.

That’s so nice.

Hudson Young flicked the pass out the back of his hand.

Passed it to Savelio Tamale, who kicked through into the foot of a Cowboy defender, the ball flying to Kaeo Weekes who gathered and scored.

A bit unlucky for the Cowboys but the Raiders made their own luck with that flowing move.

Ethan Sanders misses another kick – he should be getting these to be honest.

It’s 8-0.

That’s very nice from Ethan Strange, at second receiver, taking the ball to the line and then dishing it off to Seb Kris one-handed as he raced through.

Very, very clever stuff from Strange.

Kevin Walters just says on Fox Sports commentary that he’d be OK to have him play centre in Origin, based on what he saw on the last Kangaroos tour.

Interesting.

Anyway, the kick is missed so the Raiders lead 4-0.

From the short drop out, there’s an accidental offside.

Zac Laybutt? I think so.