Game Summary
The New Zealand Warriors claimed a comprehensive victory over the Canberra Raiders in Round Two of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Go Media Stadium in Auckland, running out 44-12 winners to secure their first competition points of 2026.
The Warriors dominated from the moment they struck first, with Alofiana Khan-Pereira diving superbly in the 13th minute to open the scoring. Jett Cleary converted from the sideline, and just three minutes later Caelys-Paul Putoko capitalised on a scrappy restart to push the lead to 12-nil.
Cleary himself got in on the act in the 22nd minute, showcasing a textbook half-back run – holding the ball in two hands, drawing defenders, and beating three men on his way to the try-line. Morgan Gannon then collected a perfectly weighted cross-field kick set up by a brilliant take from Haizyn Mellars to make it 24-nil, sending the Warriors into the break with a commanding 24-nil lead.
The Raiders struggled to build any sustained pressure throughout the first half despite enjoying plenty of early possession. While they appeared threatening in the opening 10 minutes, a string of errors – including knock-ons, line-break concessions and poor kick returns – gifted the Warriors repeat sets and allowed them to pile on points at will.
The second half began devastatingly for Canberra when an error directly off the restart handed the Warriors a gift, and Putoko secured a double from close range within 60 seconds of the re-start to push the score to 30-nil. Owen Pattie provided some hope for the Raiders, darting cleverly from acting-half to score before Coby Black converted, but their momentum was immediately derailed when Jordan Uta was sent to the sin bin for a late shot on Cleary, who slotted the resulting penalty goal.
Mellars and Khan-Pereira added further tries to extend the margin, 44-6. A late consolation try Jake Clydsdale could not disguise a forgettable afternoon for the Raiders, who were unable to turn the game around from the Warriors home domination.
The final scoreline of 46-10 confirmed the Warriors as a team brimming with confidence and potent strike power out wide as they head into Round Three.
Talking Points
Jett Cleary was outstanding in his directing role, finishing with four try assists and six conversions including a penalty kick, while also crossing for a try himself. The young half-back looked every bit the playmaker the Warriors have been building him as.
Alofiana Khan-Pereira was lethal with the ball in hand, scoring a double in just his second appearance for the Warriors. His try-scoring record of 53 tries in 54 NRL appearances looks set to translate seamlessly to NSW Cup in 2026.
Haizyn Mellars again proved unmarkable in the air, taking two stunning contested catches that led directly to tries. At just 21 years of age, his ceiling remains sky-high.
Key Moment
The moment that truly broke the Raiders came in the 13th minute when the Warriors turned their first genuine visit to the try-line into points. After a dominant opening stint from Canberra had yielded nothing, Cleary drew the defence, found Luke Hanson in space, and Khan-Pereira did the rest – diving to finish superbly in the corner. From that point, the Warriors never looked back.
What's Next?
The Warriors head across the ditch for the first time this season to face the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium in Round Three. The Raiders, meanwhile, host the Bulldogs and will look to avoid a third-straight defeat to start 2026.
