The Tigers were booed off at half time by the fans that made it that far: more than a couple upped and left when Jamal Fogarty ran in the seventh try of the first half in just the 32nd minute.
They have found a thousand ways to lose in 2022. Some were unfortunate – their last minute loss to the Titans in March and the bad bunker call in Townsville – but others, such as shameful shellacking at the hands of the Roosters and the ignominy of defeat to the Dragons last weekend because their player did not know the rules, are unforgiveable.
This was a new shade of shame. In the first half at their spiritual home in front of a partisan crowd, they tackled like it meant nothing to them.
Canberra only needed not to lose by 54 points to secure their spot in the finals, but the rate of scoring had many wondering if they might not overturn the 114 points required to leapfrog Souths into 7th.
Given yesterday’s defeat for the Broncos that all-but secured their place in the eight, Canberra dropped Jack Wighton and Elliott Whitehead before kick off to give them a break. They didn’t need either.
Any chances that this might be a contest evaporated on the first Raiders attack. The line speed was slow, allowing Canberra to move into position, and from a Jamal Fogarty kick, Matt Timoko crossed.
Seb Kris was next after a sharp break from Jordan Rapana, ably assisted by a half-hearted tackle by Ken Maumolo. Nick Cotric then made a break from the kick off, and though he was stopped, he scored a few plays later.
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Kris returned the favour for Rapana with a flickpass – not quite Leilua levels, but the comparison must be made – before Xavier Savage claimed another Frawley kick.
Fogarty then got another after a Zac Woolfrod break. Having converted all the tries, the score stood at a barely believable 42-0 at halftime. The Tigers left to a chorus of boos.
The crowd did get something to cheer after the break. Daine Lauire got them on the scoresheet after a smart Adam Doueihi pass, and Maumolo grabbed another. It was hardly as if the comeback was on, but there was some pride yet.
That was nixed by more poor tackling: Young was able to run through easily for a second and Josh Papali’i got his name on the scoresheet, carrying a few Tigers over the line with him.
There was time for a fire alarm to go off – when you hear that everything is going wrong at the Tigers, it means everything – and for Zane Musgrove to be sin binned for a shot on Corey Horsburgh. With time elapsing, the Raiders took the penalty goal, ran down the clock and put the Tigers out of their misery.
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