<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>328114</docID> <postdate>2024-09-01 19:01:35</postdate> <headline>Raiders snare stunning victory over the Roosters</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-328115" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240901160288314135-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Simi Sasagi, of the Raiders, celebrates scoring a try with team mates against the Sydney Roosters. (AAP Image/Mark Evans)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Jasper Bruce</strong> in Sydney</span></p> <p><strong>The Sydney Roosters' NRL premiership hopes have been rocked after star halfback Sam Walker, Brandon Smith and Victor Radley were injured in a stunning 14-12 loss to Canberra.</strong></p> <p>Walker is suspected to have injured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee after pulling up sore attempting to tackle Simi Sasagi in the in-goal 12 minutes into Sunday's game.</p> <p>Three staffers attended to Walker and initially called for a stretcher before the playmaker regained his footing and left the field at Allianz Stadium, albeit with assistance and in severe pain.</p> <p>Walker, who was troubled by ACL issues last year, is now all but guaranteed to finish this season on the sidelines and leave the third-placed Roosters to defy history in pursuit of a premiership.</p> <p>In the NRL era, no side has won the grand final without their first-choice halfback.</p> <p>Sandon Smith is the man most likely to join Luke Keary in the halves on the run through September.</p> <p>Still reeling from the Walker blow, the Roosters were forced to reconfigure again after Canberra's Elliott Whitehead crunched Brandon Smith's right leg in a hip-drop tackle just before half-time.</p> <p>The hooker writhed on the turf in agony before also leaving the field between two trainers with a suspected knee injury.</p> <p>Second-rower Radley joined Smith and Walker in the casualty ward with left shoulder damage following a tackle from Joe Tapine and Adam Cook 10 minutes after half-time.</p> <p>Fellow forward Nat Butcher returned a category-one head injury assessment in the second half so is likely to miss next week's match against South Sydney but is expected to return for the finals.</p> <p>Raiders captain Whitehead was sin-binned twice on Sunday, first for the shot that injured Smith and then for swinging a boot at the ball while it was in Angus Crichton's grasp.</p> <p>He had earlier been integral to the Raiders' surprise 10-2 half-time lead, crashing over from a Danny Levi pass out of dummy half before throwing the offload that handed Sasagi the Raiders' second try.</p> <p>When Xavier Savage tore away down the right edge following a Michael Jennings error, the Raiders were up 14-2 and daring to dream.</p> <p>Daniel Tupou slid over on the left wing soon after Whitehead's second dismissal, with the Roosters finally shaking off uncharacteristic execution issues.</p> <p>When Keary picked Tupou out with a fifth-tackle kick in the final seconds, the Roosters had a chance to equalise with a sideline conversion after the siren.</p> <p>But part-time kicker Keary had his strike waved away and the Raiders held on for a pulsating victory.</p> <p>Canberra have now ambushed premiership fancies Penrith and the Roosters inside two weeks but their inferior for-and-against leaves them as only a mathematical chance of making the finals.</p> <p>Their likeliest path to qualification is beating St George Illawarra next week and hoping Newcastle and the Dolphins draw.</p> <p>Raiders fan favourite Jordan Rapana looks to have played his last NRL game after suffering a fractured cheekbone laying a try-saving tackle on James Tedesco in the first half.</p> <p>Rapana appeared to wear Tedesco's elbow in his face as he tackled his rival fullback mid-air and is unlikely to feature again before joining Super League side Hull FC next year.</p> </body>