<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>339475</docID> <postdate>2025-03-02 13:35:30</postdate> <headline>Raiders party in Vegas with big win to open NRL season</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-339476" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250302134497696176-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Sebastian Kris has scored two tries in a dominant season-opening NRL win for Canberra in Las Vegas. (AP PHOTO)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Jasper Bruce</strong> in Las Vegas</span></p> <p><strong>Canberra will be partying into the night in Las Vegas after kicking the NRL season off with their most impressive performance in recent memory, a 30-8 mauling of a woeful Warriors.</strong></p> <p>The Raiders looked right at home before a big crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the fortress of their namesake NFL team, and picked up from a fast finish to an inconsistent 2024.</p> <p>But there was nothing inconsistent about Ricky Stuart's side on Sunday (AEDT), with the Warriors looking completely lost in their first game of the post-Shaun Johnson era.</p> <p>New halves combination Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita could not spark the Warriors, who looked too flat for a team that had more members fly over for the second year of the NRL's Vegas experiment than any of their three NRL rivals.</p> <p>Prized James Fisher-Harris had virtually no impact, coming off when the Warriors were down 6-0 and only returning when the game looked gone at 28-4.</p> <p>Raiders captain Joe Tapine went to the sin bin for a shoulder charge on Mitch Barnett in the 65th minute and could face scrutiny from the match review committee.</p> <p>With an extra man on the field, the Warriors had a late consolation try through Roger Tuivasa-Sheck on the veteran's return to the wing.</p> <p>But a comeback never appeared on.</p> <p>Fresh from proposing in front of the Bellagio, Xavier Savage had two first-half tries down the right wing as the Raiders' outside backs adapted to the thinner NFL field better than the Warriors'.</p> <p>In a summation of the Warriors' struggles without Johnson, new halfback Metcalf threw a pass straight to Savage, who ran 90 metres against the run of play to make it 16-0.</p> <p>Earlier, off-contract Tom Starling staked his claim to remain hooker ahead of highly-rated rookie Owen Pattie by scooting out of dummy half to put Canberra in position for Savage's first try.</p> <p>It was a night full of success stories for the Raiders; Corey Horsburgh looked sharp after a poor 2024, while Pattie held his own when he came on for his debut late.</p> <p>Hudson Young went from the naughty corner to the top of the class with an excellent game, shaking off scrutiny over his hotel brawl with teammate Morgan Smithies.</p> <p>Just after halftime, Young's enthusiastic kick chase forced Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to spill the ball and Seb Kris cleaned up to hit back following the Warriors' first try.</p> <p>The Raiders went up 22-4 thanks to Kris, who had earlier scored the first try of the NRL season reaching out onto the chalk.</p> <p>Canberra's easiest try came through Matt Timoko who ran down an inexplicably open right edge for a long-range try that all but sealed the result at 28-4.</p> <p>Savage went on report in the first half for taking Harris-Tavita's legs out in a kick, while Nicoll-Klokstad was also cited for making boot contact with Horsburgh while airborne.</p> </body>