Canberra's victory boosts prospects of a grand final against Penrith after defeating Manly 28-12.
The tantalising prospect of a retro Canberra-versus-Penrith grand final is gathering speed following the Raiders' rapid-fire return to the top of the NRL ladder.
A try-scoring hat-trick from 20-year-old five-eighth Ethan Strange helped Ricky Stuart's relentless Raiders repel an ambush from Manly and add to the Sea Eagles' woes with a 28-12 win in chilly Canberra on Friday night.
Rebounding from a shock first defeat in 10 starts last week against St George Illawarra, the Raiders' pivotal win knocked Melbourne off a perch the Storm only enjoyed for 24 hours after Thursday night's 22-2 triumph over Brisbane.