Liam Daly at Suncorp Stadium
The Canberra Raiders have continued their impressive run to the finals after surviving a late comeback to run out eventual 18-16 winners over the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
Missing Darren Lockyer for a fourth consecutive week, the Broncos did well to push the in-form Raiders right to the death, but will be left ruing missed first-half opportunities after they crashed out of the premiership race without making the finals for the first time in 19 years.
After leading by 14 points an hour into the game, the Raiders looked on the verge of breaking the match open, until Jharal Yow Yeh and Matt Gillett were able to crack their line from good attacking positions.
For the red-hot Canberra side, skipper Terry Campese controlled the match from five-eighth and his accurate kicking game earned the visitors the first two tries of the match,
Hard-running props David Shillington and Tom Learoyd-Lahrs led the way forward through the middle third, while two-try performer Daniel Vidot was the best of the visitors' backs.
Having conceded 110 points in their last three matches, the Broncos turned up in defence with an improved attitude, but lacked execution in attack and failed to capitalise on their restriction of the Raiders.
The tone was set early when two early kicks from Campese were both allowed to bounce, and with Brisbane's back three looking disorganised, the Raiders were encouraged to keep driving down the middle of the park and attacking through aerial avenues.
But Brisbane were kicking well too, and within the first quarter of an hour Yow Yeh twice went close, but ultimately failed to control a pair of floating cross-field kicks from halfback Peter Wallace.
Eventually though, it was Canberra, enjoying best of the field position who drew first blood in the battle of the boot, with Vidot scrambling well to ground a well-weighted kick from Campese in the 18th minute..
Having failed to defuse Campese's earlier kick for Vidot, Antonio Winterstein was given an identical chance minutes later, but could do no better.
Again Campese hung a kick over Brisbane's left side defence, and with Alex Glenn and Wallace making a mess of their blocking work, Winterstein spilt the pill into the waiting arms of Raiders fullback Josh Dugan, who scored their second in the 22nd minute.
Arguably Brisbane's best in their loss to the Warriors last weekend, starting Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough was again keeping the Broncos competitive, and he managed to narrow the margin to 12-4 in the 28th, with a clever individual effort.
In a rush of blood Raiders interchange prop Dane Tilse hit the cross bar in an on-the-run, toe-punted attempt at a field goal and the rebound very nearly fell for Dugan who was chasing hard, only to be denied by a clever clean-up from talented Broncos fullback Josh Hoffman
Yow Yeh had one more chance at a try before half time, but after racing through to collect a grubber, his attempt to toe the ball ahead went powering over the dead-ball line.
Brisbane's run of unconverted half chances continued right to the half time hooter, and in the 40th minute Sam Thaiday became the next Bronco to miss a four-pointer when he spilled in his efforts to ground a Hunt grubber.
Both sides came out after the break prepared for a war of attrition and playing percentage football.
Line breaks led to half chances for