The Raiders needed a steadying hand against Canterbury when star duo Jack Wighton and then Josh Papalii were marched from the field.
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Enter Josh Hodgson.
Playing his first match since relinquishing the club captaincy, the English playmaker brought sorely-needed element of calmness and composure that has been missing for Canberra in the second half this year.
Having spent the first half on the bench, he was brought on for the injured Corey Horsburgh and technically slotted in at lock.
In reality he played as a third half, time and again providing a link between hooker Tom Starling and Wighton when he finally returned from his sin binning.
It allowed Wighton more running room with the ball, which in turn let fullback Caleb Aekins chime into the backline at the crucial moment, feeding Curtis Scott and then Sebastian Kris passes that led to tries which snapped a horror five-match winless run.
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"That was one of my goals today, was to come on, get us some energy and composure," Hodgson told Foxsports after the 20-18 win.
"That period where we lost a couple [of players], we scrambled really well and that's what wins you games, the efforts in those tough times. We just needed that win by any means possible.
"We'll get a whole heap of confidence from that tonight, especially being a couple of men down and especially coming from behind and not panicking."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
