NRL: Raiders' late try scuttles Dragons' jinx busting bid

Blake Ferguson of the Raiders scores a try. Photo / Getty Images

Raiders 24
Dragons 19

A last-minute try to Josh Dugan extended St George Illawarra's Canberra hoodoo for yet another year, as the Raiders stunned the NRL premiers with a 24-19 upset last night.

The Dragons haven't won in Canberra since 2000, but seemed likely to break that run last night.

They were up 18-6 midway through the second half, but a Raiders comeback levelled the scores at 18-all.

The deadlock was broken when Jamie Soward kicked a field goal with less than two minutes on the clock to put the Dragons up by one point.

But the Raiders came again after Mark Gasnier dropped a short kickoff to open up the possibility of a miracle.

Dugan - who kick-started the comeback with an individual try in the 53rd minute - delivered as he pounced on a delicate Josh McCrone grubber to spark wide celebrations on the field and in the Canberra coaching box.

A wasteful McCrone ensured the Raiders made little use of their early dominance, and their angst was intensified by a well-oiled Dragons machine as Brett Morris celebrated his 100th game with the opening points.

McCrone made amends when he sold Ben Creagh the world's biggest dummy to go over next to the posts, but the left-hand edge which has yielded the Dragons so many points in recent seasons again clicked into gear to put the visitors on top.

Soward's off night with his goalkicking was keeping the Raiders in the game, although his kicking in general play was exemplary.

In the second half, fullback Dugan pulled the Raiders within six with a barnstorming effort, beating three players to plant the ball over the line.

They levelled the scores when Blake Ferguson scored from a Creagh knock-on close to his own line and Jarrod Croker nailed the sideline conversion.

- AAP