A pair of hat-tricks has led the Canberra Raiders to a 46-6 win over the Pirtek Parramatta Eels, in freezing conditions at Canberra Stadium.
With the temperature dropping to around zero, the Raiders were too strong, maintaining their spot at the top of the Holden Cup ladder.
The first half began with a flurry of tries to the Raiders, with the opening two tries going the way of the home side; scored by Jonathon Reuben, Jack Ahearn respectively.
The Green Machine crossed again thanks to a beautiful pass to Andrew Heffernan, which was unsuccessfully challenged by the Eels captain Takai Moeakiola.
Enormous prop Pauli Pauli opened the scoring for the Eels, charging through six Raiders defenders to place the ball right under the posts.
Mitchell Brasington converted the try to leave the half-time score 16-6 in favour of the Raiders.
A knock-on ruled by the referee was overturned and became a strip by the Eels in 5th minute, and things progressed from there to another try to Andrew Heffernan.
The remainder of the half finished in a similar fashion to the start of the first half, a rush of tries to the Raiders.
Jeremy Hawkins scored his second try in the 49th minute, Mitch Cornish scored off an Eels mistake and only two minutes after, Hawkins scored his hat-trick.
In the 67th minute Heffernan scored his third try of the afternoon, sealing the deal for the Raiders.
RAIDERS 46 (Heffernan 3, Hawkins 3, Reuben, Ahearn, Cornish; Cornish 4, Worboys 1 goal)
def.
EELS 6 (Pauli try; Brasington 1 goal)
With the temperature dropping to around zero, the Raiders were too strong, maintaining their spot at the top of the Holden Cup ladder.
The first half began with a flurry of tries to the Raiders, with the opening two tries going the way of the home side; scored by Jonathon Reuben, Jack Ahearn respectively.
The Green Machine crossed again thanks to a beautiful pass to Andrew Heffernan, which was unsuccessfully challenged by the Eels captain Takai Moeakiola.
Enormous prop Pauli Pauli opened the scoring for the Eels, charging through six Raiders defenders to place the ball right under the posts.
Mitchell Brasington converted the try to leave the half-time score 16-6 in favour of the Raiders.
A knock-on ruled by the referee was overturned and became a strip by the Eels in 5th minute, and things progressed from there to another try to Andrew Heffernan.
The remainder of the half finished in a similar fashion to the start of the first half, a rush of tries to the Raiders.
Jeremy Hawkins scored his second try in the 49th minute, Mitch Cornish scored off an Eels mistake and only two minutes after, Hawkins scored his hat-trick.
In the 67th minute Heffernan scored his third try of the afternoon, sealing the deal for the Raiders.
RAIDERS 46 (Heffernan 3, Hawkins 3, Reuben, Ahearn, Cornish; Cornish 4, Worboys 1 goal)
def.
EELS 6 (Pauli try; Brasington 1 goal)
