Young Stuart scores as Raiders defence beats Tigers

The Advertiser

20-06-2025

Jed Stuart has provided one of the fairytale moments of Canberra's high-flying NRL season, before the Raiders held on to beat Wests Tigers 16-12 at Campbelltown.
After they led 16-0 at halftime and looked in complete control, the Raiders were forced to sweat through a nervy final 25 minutes on Friday night.
But with the Tigers back within four points and with all the good ball in the second half, the Raiders were able to repel set after set to claim victory.
The win ensures Canberra will finish the round in second spot, with five straight victories and nine from their past 10 games.
Stuart was the story of the night with a try on debut, the four-pointer coming as his proud father Ricky stood on the sideline looking as stoic as ever.
After a week of build-up around the 23-year-old's debut, he finished the Raiders' second try when Seb Kris put him over in the left corner.
But while Stuart provided the headline moment, it was Joe Tapine and Canberra's goal-line defence that were the real heroes.
The Tigers spent large parts of the match camped on the Raiders' line, but were only able to break through twice in a five-minute period in the second half.
Tapine was crucial in much of that.
He somehow held up Jarome Luai as the Tigers five-eighth looked certain to get the ball down in the first half, pulling his arm back up as it went towards the turf.
Then moments later it was Tapine who gave the Raiders their first try, running on to a Josh Papalii try and through a gaping hole to score.
The Raiders' front-rower had another crucial moment in the second half, pulling off a one-on-one strip to end another Tigers attacking raid in the final 10 minutes.
As resolute as the Raiders were, the Tigers were at times their own worst enemies.
A Tom Starling try came after Kris brushed through a poor Heath Mason miss, before Jeral Skelton and Jahreem Bula fumbled a grubber and Starling dived on the ball.
The Tigers were better in the second half, with Luai coming to life after being well contained before the break.
Backing up just two days after Origin II and following cross-country travel, he sparked the Tigers to life when he grubbered for a chasing Alex Seyfarth to score.
Luai had it at 16-12 moments later when he first put Adam Doueihi into space, before backing up on the next play and combining with Latu Fainu to send Starford To'a.
The Tigers had a chance to go ahead when Samuela Fainu crossed with 13 minutes to play, only for a Terrell May pass to be called forward.
But Tapine's strip and another overturned late penalty for a Skelton hair-pull meant the joint-venture were consigned to their fifth straight loss.
Jed Stuart has provided one of the fairytale moments of Canberra's high-flying NRL season, before the Raiders held on to beat Wests Tigers 16-12 at Campbelltown.
After they led 16-0 at halftime and looked in complete control, the Raiders were forced to sweat through a nervy final 25 minutes on Friday night.
But with the Tigers back within four points and with all the good ball in the second half, the Raiders were able to repel set after set to claim victory.
The win ensures Canberra will finish the round in second spot, with five straight victories and nine from their past 10 games.
Stuart was the story of the night with a try on debut, the four-pointer coming as his proud father Ricky stood on the sideline looking as stoic as ever.
After a week of build-up around the 23-year-old's debut, he finished the Raiders' second try when Seb Kris put him over in the left corner.
But while Stuart provided the headline moment, it was Joe Tapine and Canberra's goal-line defence that were the real heroes.
The Tigers spent large parts of the match camped on the Raiders' line, but were only able to break through twice in a five-minute period in the second half.
Tapine was crucial in much of that.
He somehow held up Jarome Luai as the Tigers five-eighth looked certain to get the ball down in the first half, pulling his arm back up as it went towards the turf.
Then moments later it was Tapine who gave the Raiders their first try, running on to a Josh Papalii try and through a gaping hole to score.
The Raiders' front-rower had another crucial moment in the second half, pulling off a one-on-one strip to end another Tigers attacking raid in the final 10 minutes.
As resolute as the Raiders were, the Tigers were at times their own worst enemies.
A Tom Starling try came after Kris brushed through a poor Heath Mason miss, before Jeral Skelton and Jahreem Bula fumbled a grubber and Starling dived on the ball.
The Tigers were better in the second half, with Luai coming to life after being well contained before the break.
Backing up just two days after Origin II and following cross-country travel, he sparked the Tigers to life when he grubbered for a chasing Alex Seyfarth to score.
Luai had it at 16-12 moments later when he first put Adam Doueihi into space, before backing up on the next play and combining with Latu Fainu to send Starford To'a.
The Tigers had a chance to go ahead when Samuela Fainu crossed with 13 minutes to play, only for a Terrell May pass to be called forward.
But Tapine's strip and another overturned late penalty for a Skelton hair-pull meant the joint-venture were consigned to their fifth straight loss.
Jed Stuart has provided one of the fairytale moments of Canberra's high-flying NRL season, before the Raiders held on to beat Wests Tigers 16-12 at Campbelltown.
After they led 16-0 at halftime and looked in complete control, the Raiders were forced to sweat through a nervy final 25 minutes on Friday night.
But with the Tigers back within four points and with all the good ball in the second half, the Raiders were able to repel set after set to claim victory.
The win ensures Canberra will finish the round in second spot, with five straight victories and nine from their past 10 games.
Stuart was the story of the night with a try on debut, the four-pointer coming as his proud father Ricky stood on the sideline looking as stoic as ever.
After a week of build-up around the 23-year-old's debut, he finished the Raiders' second try when Seb Kris put him over in the left corner.
But while Stuart provided the headline moment, it was Joe Tapine and Canberra's goal-line defence that were the real heroes.
The Tigers spent large parts of the match camped on the Raiders' line, but were only able to break through twice in a five-minute period in the second half.
Tapine was crucial in much of that.
He somehow held up Jarome Luai as the Tigers five-eighth looked certain to get the ball down in the first half, pulling his arm back up as it went towards the turf.
Then moments later it was Tapine who gave the Raiders their first try, running on to a Josh Papalii try and through a gaping hole to score.
The Raiders' front-rower had another crucial moment in the second half, pulling off a one-on-one strip to end another Tigers attacking raid in the final 10 minutes.
As resolute as the Raiders were, the Tigers were at times their own worst enemies.
A Tom Starling try came after Kris brushed through a poor Heath Mason miss, before Jeral Skelton and Jahreem Bula fumbled a grubber and Starling dived on the ball.
The Tigers were better in the second half, with Luai coming to life after being well contained before the break.
Backing up just two days after Origin II and following cross-country travel, he sparked the Tigers to life when he grubbered for a chasing Alex Seyfarth to score.
Luai had it at 16-12 moments later when he first put Adam Doueihi into space, before backing up on the next play and combining with Latu Fainu to send Starford To'a.
The Tigers had a chance to go ahead when Samuela Fainu crossed with 13 minutes to play, only for a Terrell May pass to be called forward.
But Tapine's strip and another overturned late penalty for a Skelton hair-pull meant the joint-venture were consigned to their fifth straight loss.