THE ELECTRIC OPENING
The Raiders rectified their awful starts with a powerful beginning to put the Knights on the back foot. Two tries to Edrick Lee, another to Jack Wighton and a Jarrod Croker penalty goal put the Raiders up 18-0 after the opening 20 minutes. In the same period in the past three weeks, the Raiders had been outscored 50-0 in losses against the Bulldogs, Broncos and Dragons. While they had been able to get themselves into all three of those games, the Raiders needed to show they could make the running early to instil confidence in the side. The Raiders continued on the job in the second half to break their three-game losing streak.
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THE GUN HALFBACK
A lot has been written about Gold Coast Titans recruit Aidan Sezer this week in the wake of the Daly Cherry-Evans backflip, but Sam Williams showed he won't be giving the No.7 jersey up without a fight. Williams was brilliant in the first half setting up three of the Raiders' first four tries. His short kicking game was also on song, pinning the Knights down their own end and forcing them into repeat sets of six. The battle between Williams and Sezer will be a close one. Sezer put in a man of the match performance for the Titans in their win against the Tigers on Friday night.
THE MILESTONES
Raiders captain Jarrod Croker entered elite company on two fronts. Croker's first conversion of the game took him past 1000 career points. He then scored his sixth try of the season and the 74th of his career - going level with Raiders legend Mal Meninga. Croker is having a wonderful season in his first year captaining the club. Records are his to break from now on.
THE MEN WITH THE WHISTLE
Perhaps the $20,000 fine incurred by the Raiders and Ricky Stuart was well spent. The Raiders lost the penalty count 6-5, but they will take that compared to what it's been like in recent weeks. There were no glaring errors by the men in the middle for either side. The Raiders will decide on Monday whether they will appeal the NRL's punishment handed out as a result of last week's Broncos game.
THE FORMER REP STARS
David Shillington was playing in park footy earlier this season, but it was easy to see why the Raiders front-rower has played at Origin and international level with a powerhouse performance. Back in the starting team after a stint on the bench and in the NSW Cup with Mounties, Shillington churned out 10 runs for 120m in his first stint to lay the ideal platform for the Raiders' backs to weave their magic. Shillington should have a few clubs who will be keen to snap him up next season. Second-rower Josh Papalii was just as damaging on the edge, running off the hip of Williams for a try a minute before half-time. Papalii is an outside chance to return to the Maroons side for the second game of the Origin series.
