Game Summary
With a bye in the final round Canberra Raiders farewelled their 2026 campaign in style, running in eight tries to beat the Parramatta Eels 50-22 at Seiffert Oval in Round 25 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.
Canberra struck first when Jesse Milin scored his maiden try of the season, running onto a short ball. Parramatta hit back through a well-worked Jonah Pezet try to level the scores at 6-6, before the Eels edged ahead when the returning Bailey Simonsson crossed out wide to make it 10-6.
Ethan Alaia then produced two moments of brilliance either side of half-time, first setting up Chevy Stewart with a clever last-tackle option, then combining again with the fullback for a full-field special that had the Raiders' bench on their feet. Seb Kris rounded out the first-half scoring with a nice finish in the left corner, taking a Kain Anderson tip-on to send Canberra into the sheds with a commanding 22-10 lead.
The Raiders came out firing in the second half, with Coby Black slicing through the Eels' defence to extend the margin to 28-10 before converting his own try.
Parramatta briefly threatened a comeback when Jack De Belin reached out to score close to the line, but Canberra's response was immediate with Michael Asomua bursting over from close range pushing the lead to 34-16.
From there it was one-way traffic. Kain Anderson pounced on a loose ball from a contested kick, Roman Tuaimau finished off a slick back-line movement, and Jayze Tuigamala added a further try as the Raiders piled on points to lead 50-16.
Parramatta's Elijah-Shane Tapau crossed for a late consolation try in the final minute, converted by Pezet, which rounded out the 50-22 final score.
Talking Points
Ethan Alaia's broken-play brilliance, with two try assists either side of half-time, was one of the standout contributions in Canberra's dominant win.
Jesse Milin's breakthrough try, his first of the season after averaging over 100 running metres a game, was a heartening moment for the developing forward.
Bailey Simonsson's successful return from a long-term ankle injury, capped off with a try, was a bright spot for the struggling Parramatta outfit.
Key Moment
Coby Black's line-break to score and convert his own try early in the second half swung all momentum back to the Raiders just as the Eels had threatened a comeback, initiating a run of four unanswered tries.
What's Next?
The Canberra Raiders' season have now concluded their season with the bye in the final round, while the Eels close out their campaign against the Newtown Jets.
