Redcliffe Dolphins Hammer Canberra Raiders in controversial win

A Tom Gilbert try levelled the score with a controversial try, before Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow finished off a massive game to win it 20-14 at Redcliffe on Saturday.

Tabuai-Fidow, known as "The Hammer", scored a double, including the winner and was excellent at the back in terrible conditions.

But there'll be plenty of questions asked of the officiating after Gilbert's try was allowed to stand, despite appearing to manhandle Raiders centre Matt Timoko in the process.

NRL premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan felt it wasn't a try.

"You can't push, your hands can't become involved. I think you see no try," Flanagan said on the Fox Sports commentary.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart played a straight bat to questions about the incident.

"I don't know. I was sitting on the sideline," he said.

"They did a good job, that was a good win for them. He's done a good job with them to get them two out of two and it's a great way to start a foundation season."

But the Wayne-Bennett-led Dolphins have come away with the win, continuing their perfect start to life in the NRL and continuining the Green Machine's winless start to their season.

They return from their opening two rounds in Queensland without a premiership point.

The game was a slog in terrible conditions, with 75-millimetres of rain falling in the lead-up to the game.

Not that it worried Tabuai-Fidow. He showed sure hands and excellent positioning throughout the night in a best-on-ground display.

The Dolphins have some concerns with Jeremy Marshall-King put on report and sin-binned for a hip-drop tackle on Corey Horsburgh, while halfback Sean O'Sullivan was also put on report for a high shot - although he might not have much to worry about.

They also lost Connelly Lemuelu with an eye injury.

The Dolphins looked to be away for the opening try after Redcliffe second-rower Felise Kaufusi produced a rib ringer on Hudson Young, only to have knocked the ball on in the tackle.

Young looked in all sorts of trouble, but was able to get up and play on - although Dolphins prop Jesse Bromwich did produce a one-on-one strip on him a short while later.

Canberra went on the attack from the resulting scrum and it didn't take long for Raiders hooker Danny Levi to put Jack Wighton over with a short ball out the ball - the star five-eighth dummying his way over from close range.

They looked to be coasting when Nick Cotric crossed after a Corey Horsburgh offload and Marshall-King was sin-binned.

But the Dolphins edged a try back just before half-time, Tabuai-Fidow's first before they launched their second-half fightback with Gilbert's controversial try.

He appeared to manhandle Timoko before scoring off an O'Sullivan grubber to level the score.

Then Young was sin-binned for a professional foul near his own tryline, allowing Isaako to put the home team in front from the kicking tee.

A Fogarty penalty goal resumed the deadlock, after some crafty play by Corey Harawira-Naera to draw a penalty and get O'Sullivan sin-binned - although he was unlucky with the call.

But Dolphins five-eighth Isaiya Katoa stepped up at the crucial moment to put Tabuai-Fidow over for the winner.

The Raiders now host the Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Stadium next Sunday.

AT A GLANCE

REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 20 (Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2, Tom Gilbert tries; Jamayne Isaako 4 goals) bt CANBERRA RAIDERS 14 (Jack Wighton, Nick Cotric tries; Jamal Fogarty 3 goals) at Redcliffe. Referee: Todd Smith.

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