<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>339475</docID> <postdate>2025-03-02 16:11:30</postdate> <headline>Victorious Canberra Raiders put on a show in Vegas</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>Ricky Stuart has commended Canberra on bouncing back from their much-discussed Las Vegas brawl and demolishing the Warriors 30-8 in the first game of the NRL season.</strong></p> <p>The Raiders looked right at home before a big crowd at Allegiant Stadium, 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 Stuart's side on Sunday (AEDT), only days after teammates Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies made headlines for fighting each other in a hotel elevator.</p> <p>Stuart was proud of his charges for moving on from what could have been a distraction during the NRL's second annual trip to Sin City.</p> <p>"You could have an unit or a group of players that have got their heads in the bright lights and not prepare well (in Vegas)," Stuart said.</p> <p>"We handled it extremely well, obviously after one stuff-up, but boys will be boys. I've been involved in that sort of stuff, but you pull yourself together as a group, and we did.</p> <p>"I couldn't commend the boys well enough in regards to how they handled their preparation."</p> <p>It was a dire start to the post-Shaun Johnson era for the Warriors, whose new halves combination Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita seemingly had no way to spark the attack.</p> <p>"I felt like we didn't go forward enough for them," said coach Andrew Webster.</p> <p>Prized recruit 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>"We got beaten to everything first," Webster said.</p> <p>"They off-loaded the ball really well. We knew it was coming, they are good at it. We focused too much on the next play."</p> <p>Raiders captain Joe Tapine went to the sin bin for a shoulder charge on Mitch Barnett, despite the Warriors co-captain not needing to leave the field for head injury assessment.</p> <p>"I'm not saying it's the wrong call, but it's a massive call," Stuart said.</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>"We came here to make a statement," Stuart said.</p> <p>"Really happy with how they played. It's only round one though.</p> <p>"We'll have a couple of beers, enjoy each other's company tonight and get on the plane and get home, and see it as a very successful week."</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 their struggles without Johnson, new Warriors 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 debutant Owen Pattie by scooting out of dummy half to put Canberra in position for Savage's first try.</p> <p>Elevator wrestler Young went from the naughty corner to the top of the class with an excellent game.</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 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> </body>