We love the mighty Canberra Raiders
Spare a thought for Pauline Croker.
The mother of Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker is too nervous to sit still at the best of times, so how do you think she felt when 21,082 people - the biggest crowd at Canberra Stadium since the 2019 preliminary final - had their eyes pinned on her son?
Croker's 300th game felt like everything it should have. The hype, excitement, the emotion. "It feels like a grand final," one punter told another as they took their seats in the Mal Meninga Grandstand.
It was a victory that leaves the Warriors as firm finals contenders, but the side will have Mitch Barnett and Marata Niukore sweating on the match review committee's decision after they were sent to the sin bin.
Both forwards were given their marching orders after making contact with the head of Raiders winger Jordan Rapana on separate occasions.
The Warriors cruised to victory at GIO Stadium with a 36-14 victory thanks to a Shaun Johnson masterclass, who suffered an injury late in the match during another head clash.
The Warriors spoiled the party for Jarrod Croker's 300th game, digging in defensively before thrashing a woeful Canberra 36-14 at GIO Stadium on Friday night.
A try-of-the-year candidate from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak helped the New Zealanders overcome an early pummelling and blitz the woeful Raiders to maintain their charge towards a first finals appearance since 2018.
What was meant to be a celebration for Croker - just the second Canberra player to reach 300 games - quickly turned sour with five straight Warriors tries overturning a 6-0 first-half deficit.
The huge win leaves the Warriors 8-6 for the season and with a share of third...