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'Weren't planning on doing it': How Raiders pulled off match-winning play

2 months ago 13

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Ethan Sanders has booted a field goal to take the Raiders to a 29-28 victory over Manly in golden point at a sodden Brookvale Oval.

The Sea Eagles shot out of the gates in front of their home fans, leading 14-0 after 16 minutes, before the Raiders stormed back with five straight tries to lead 28-14 with 10 minutes left.

In horrible conditions, many fans were seen heading for the exits, but would have been kicking themselves in the carpark as Manly staged a stunning fightback with tries to Tolu Koula and a 90-metre team effort capped off by former Raider Jamal Fogarty.

Fogarty then sent a 41-metre field goal attempt just wide and the Raiders celebrated as Xavier Savage pounced on the bouncing ball, only for the referee to blow a downfield penalty against Canberra for being offside, evoking memories of their dramatic semifinal loss to Brisbane last year.

Fogarty potted the penalty goal after the full-time siren to send the game to extra time, before Sanders stepped up with a 35-metre game-winner in just his fifth NRL game.

Canberra Raiders NRL players embrace each other as they celebrate beating Manly.

The Raiders swarmed on Ethan Sanders after his clutch effort against the Sea Eagles. (AAP: Mark Evans)

"We weren't planning on doing it, but we ended up getting a quick play-the-ball and I just took it, I didn't really think about it," Sanders said.

"We were planning a kick to the corner then got a quick ruck, and it was a perfect opportunity."

Earlier, the Gold Coast Titans kicked off the Josh Hannay era with a "laughable" performance at Shark Park, losing 50-10.

Hannay lamented repeated basic errors in the embarrassing loss in his first game as coach.

"There's some unacceptable things. The simplicity of some of the breakdowns, when we're under pressure some bad habits popped up," Hannay said.

"That's my job, our job as a staff to correct that, because clearly there are some lingering bad habits there. And that's our job to move on from them."

Look back at all the action in our live blog below and check out all the stats in the full ScoreCentre.

Key Events

  1. Yesterday at 10:36amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:36am

  2. Yesterday at 10:32amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:32am

  3. Yesterday at 10:30amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:30am

Yesterday, 5:02amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 5:02am

NRL Saturday live scores

Yesterday, 11:26amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 11:26am

And that's where we'll leave you

Another dramatic night of footy, featuring a 40-point blowout and a golden point thriller.

We'll be back tomorrow afternoon for the one and only Sunday game, with the Dolphins hosting the Rabbitohs in Brisbane from 3:05pm AEST.

Until then, you stay classy.

Yesterday, 11:18amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 11:18am

Here are Ricky Stuart and Joe Tapine

Sticky sums it up well to start.

"I don't care how close it is, as long as we win."

He credits young Ethan Sanders for standing up in the face of immense pressure after replacing Jamal Fogarty.

"He had more pressure on him tonight than any other player on the field."

And speaking of Fogarty, Stuart says he had a "good chat" with his former halfback after the game.

"There was a lot of pressure on Jamal too and I thought he aimed up and played a really good game of football too."

Yesterday, 11:05amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 11:05am

Anthony Seibold and Tom Trbojevic are fronting the media

Coach Seibold says it was good at the top and tail, but laments losing it through the middle.

"We started really well and we showed a ton of fight in the last 10 minutes to get back into the game, but clearly we couldn't adapt when they were rolling us through the middle of the field.

"Just disappointed with that period either side of half-time, that probably was the game."

Yesterday, 10:57amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:57am

To recap …

(Getty)

The Sea Eagles led 14-0 after 16 minutes, before the Raiders stormed back with five straight tries to lead 28-14 with 10 minutes left.

In horrible conditions that briefly delayed the kick-off, many fans headed for the exits, but would have been kicking themselves in the carpark as Manly fought back with tries to Tolu Koula and a 90-metre team effort capped off by former Raider Jamal Fogarty.

Fogarty then sent a 41-metre field goal attempt just wide and the Raiders celebrated as Xavier Savage pounced on the bouncing ball, only for referee Liam Kennedy to penalise the Raiders for being offisde.

Fogarty potted the penalty goal after the full-time siren to send the game to extra time, before Sanders stepped up with the game-winner in just his fifth NRL game.

Key Event

Yesterday, 10:36amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:36am

SANDERS WINS IT FOR THE RAIDERS!

(Getty)

Jamal Fogarty sent the game to extra time but it's his replacement, Ethan Sanders, who nails the game-winning field goal from 35 metres out.

There was a nerve-wracking wait as the field goal was reviewed but it did just barely sneak inside the left post.

"It's about time we got a bit of luck," Hudson Young tells ABC Sport.

And on new halfback and game-winner Ethan Sanders, coming into the season with so much pressure on him after replacing Jamal Fogarty:

"I was so proud of the way he controlled the game."

Key Event

Yesterday, 10:32amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:32am

We're going to golden point!

Jamal Fogarty slots the penalty goal after the siren and we're tied at 28.

Off to golden point!

Key Event

Yesterday, 10:30amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:30am

80' Fogarty misses a field goal, BUT IT'S A PENALTY

Yesterday, 10:29amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:29am

80' Manly needs to get into two-point field goal range

But they receive the ball inside their own 10m zone yet again.

Yesterday, 10:28amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:28am

78' Trbojevic blunder costs Manly

Jake Trbojevic holds up a pass for Ethan Bullemor for too long and throws it forward.

The Raiders will have a set 30 metres out with two minutes remaining.

Yesterday, 10:27amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:27am

78' Raiders playing the clock

Canberra takes the tackle on the last, giving the Sea Eagles the ball on their own tryline inside the last three minutes.

Yesterday, 10:25amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:25am

77' KNOCK-ON MANLY

Tolu Kouls gets across to the right and breaks through Ethan Sanders's tackle, but Corey Horsburgh's cover tackle forces the ball loose and the Raiders will try to take some time off the clock.

Meanwhile, Haumole Olakau'atu is down with a left calf injury. It doesn't look like cramp, but he's trying to run it off. Nervous moments for the Sea Eagles.

Yesterday, 10:24amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:24am

76' Sea Eagles trail 28-26 with four minutes left

Key Event

Yesterday, 10:22amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:22am

MANLY GOES THE DISTANCE!!

The Sea Eagles attack from 90 metres out.

Tolu Koula fends off Ethan Strange and breaks down the left wing. He fires a ball back in to Tom Trbojevic. The cover defence arrives, but he brushes them off and skips across field, eventually setting up Jamal Fogarty to score right next to the posts.

Reuben Garrick pots the conversion as Fogarty takes a rest.

Key Event

Yesterday, 10:19amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:19am

Tolu Koula is over. Is the comeback on?

Jason Saab breaks down the right and the Sea Eagles go on the attack.

They spin it left and Tom Trbojevic has the defence spooked, hitting Tolu Koula short and he bursts over.

Clutch sideline conversion from Jamal Fogarty, and those Manly fans who left will be trying to get back in with six minutes left.

Yesterday, 10:17amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:17am

71' Fans heading for the exits

The weather is woeful and their team is down by 14 points with 10 minutes left, so plenty of Manly fans are streaming out of the ground.

Key Event

Yesterday, 10:12amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:12am

Ethan Sanders ghosts in under the posts

Ethan Strange threatens on the right and the Sea Eagles appear too satisfied with themselves for stopping him as the Raiders spin it left and he scythes between Jake Simpkin and Jake Trbojevic to dive over almost untouched.

Way too slow from Trbojevic.

Yesterday, 10:07amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 10:07am

63' Another Fogarty moon ball baffles Weekes

Kaeo Weekes watched time and time again as opponents battled against Jamal Fogarty spiral bombs last year, but now he's on the end of them and having a nightmare.

He had about five grabs at that one and the referee says he knocked it backwards every time.

Yesterday, 9:58amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 9:58am

57' Xavier Savage within centimetres of a hat-trick

Haumole Olakau'atu is penalised for rag-dolling Tom Starling head-first into the ground and the Raiders send it out to the right again.

Xavier Savage pulls off a stunning leap and grounds the ball out on the wing.

He gets up shrugging as to whether the grounding is legitimate, as referee Liam Kennedy points to the spot, but the bunker has to overturn as replays show him grounding it on the touch in-goal line.

Key Event

Yesterday, 9:55amSat 7 Mar 2026 at 9:55am

The Raiders can't be stopped

Tom Starling and Kaeo Weekes shreds the Sea Eagles through the middle and have the defence retreating.

Hudson Young goes the chip and chase. He's taken out illegally (and it may have been a trip by Ben Trbojevic) but in the meantime Xavier Savage pulls off a glorious pick-up and dives over on the right wing.

What a play by the Raiders.

Ethan Sanders hooks his conversion and the Raiders lead 22-14.

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