The NRL premiership will be decided by the smallest of margins and there were two moments in the Raiders' clash against Manly that proved the difference. The Raiders scored first, but they made a meal of the restart and gave Manly an opportunity to hit back straightaway at the opposite end. Instead, the sloppy Manly attack left the ball bouncing on the ground and Jordan Rapana was there to gather it for a 90-metre race to score at the other end. Instead of being level at 6-6, Manly trailed 12-0. The next came less than 60 seconds after half-time when Manly appeared destined to score and cut the margin to two points when Brayden Wiliame made a break down the sideline. He passed inside to Tom Trbojevic, who ran away and scored under the posts only to have the play called back for a forward pass. Fast-forward one minute and the Raiders were at the other end when Joey Leilua cruised through a gap to run 40 metres for a Manly heartbreaker.

THE WINNING OMEN

The Canberra Raiders care little for statistics, but the fact the players are on the verge of the greatest winning streak in the club's history speaks volumes for the turnaround they've produced on the field. The Raiders have won nine in a row to repeat the efforts of champion teams from 1989, 1994 and 1995. In two of those years, 1989 and 1994, the Raiders won the premiership. But if they beat the Wests Tigers next weekend they will eclipse the records set by players like Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley to make it a perfect 10. Regular season wins could lift Canberra to as high as second on the ladder, but they will count for nothing when the finals begin. But after beating sides including Melbourne, Cronulla and North Queensland in their winning run, no one can doubt their title potential.

NO BLAKE AUSTIN, NO WORRIES

Blake Austin's broken hand would have sent the capital into a lime green meltdown not so long ago. He's the sort of player who can tear teams apart and win games with a scintillating run. But the new generation Raiders, under Ricky Stuart's guidance, have built a culture of depth and not relying on individuals. Austin's injury opened the door for Sam Williams to step up in his first game since April while Junior Paulo's rib problem gave Paul Vaughan an opportunity for the first time in six weeks. The Raiders firmly believe the depth they have can cover the loss of any player in the team. Of course there are a few crucial players who hold the key to success. Most would have thought that Austin was one of them. But with Williams moving on to a right edge boasting Elliott Whitehead, Jordan Rapana and Joey Leilua, it was never going to be a make or break change for Canberra. Whitehead, Rapana and Leilua are enjoying the best seasons of their career and if Williams can shovel them the ball, the Green Machine will roll on.

JORDAN RAPANA'S BREAKOUT YEAR

Jordan Rapana's first-half double cemented his standing as one of the best wingers in the NRL. It's a remarkable turnaround given he was trying to win an ACT Brumbies contract just a few years ago and his rugby league days appeared doomed. He was pouring beers in Civic and cutting hair in Belconnen when the Raiders gave him a chance. Now he's making a case to win the Dally M winger of the year prize and is a key part of Canberra's hopes of winning a premiership. Rapana turned defence into attack when he swooped on a loose Manly pass to run 90 metres and score a try. When Manly drew within two points just six minutes before half-time, Rapana stepped up again, swerving between two defenders to reach out and restore a buffer before the break. He will almost certainly be included in New Zealand's Test side at the end of the year and is setting himself up to be the most dominant winger of the competition for years to come.

THE BANDWAGON STARTS TO TRAVEL

The NRL will deny the Raiders a chance to host a preliminary final but a play-off remains on the cards after the Raiders won their ninth consecutive game on Saturday. There was a scattering of lime green on the Brookvale Oval hill in a sign that the Canberra bandwagon is starting to travel. There was no Viking Clap but there was a Raiders chant early in the first half and Manly fans started to leave when the Raiders streaked ahead. There will be more travelling fans in Sydney for the last-round clash against the Wests Tigers next weekend and if results go Canberra's way, the Raiders will host a final in the first week of the play-offs. The Raiders have secured a top four spot for the first time since 2003 and if they finish second, it will be the first time in 19 years they've been that high on the ladder.