Live: Raiders host Rabbitohs looking to continue race for NRL finals

The Raiders look to keep their finals hopes alive, hosting the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Canberra stadium.

Later, the second-placed Warriors welcome the Dragons to Auckland.

The day's festivities end with the Bulldogs taking on the embattled Wests Tigers at the Sydney Olympic park.

In the NRLW, the Raiders host the Roosters, the Warriors host the Cowboys and the Bulldogs take on the Sharks.

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Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 2:59pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 2:59pm

Live updates: Raiders vs Rabbitohs

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Raiders vs Rabbitohs

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Tries

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Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:46pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:46pm

33' Rabbitohs lose the ball over the line!

By Simon Smale

Alex Johnston doesn't make many mistakes when he can see the try line - but he can't hold onto the ball when he gets it on the left side here.

The Bunker has a look, which provokes the ire of the locals again, still burned from that previous try not being awarded.

But this time the decision goes in their favour.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:44pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:44pm

33' Penalty Rabbitohs

By Simon Smale

Campbell Graham is away!

Great line break down the right side from the Rabbitohs winger, who has struggled to catch anything so far today.

He appears to be hard to catch as well, and Ethan Strange is pinged for trying to tackle him from behind around the throat.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:43pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:43pm

32' Savage is over, but it's ruled out by the Bunker!

By Simon Smale

How has he managed to get this down!

It's a long ball over the top to Savage by Ethan Sanders.

Savage outmuscles Alex Johnston, stays in the field of play, has Tallis Duncan and Cody Walker wrestling him.

Incredibly, Savage manages to wrest himself over the line.

What a try.

Oh my, hang on.

The ball was bobbled in there by Savage as he looked to ground it, did it touch the hand of Cody Walker?

The Bunker says it did!

Oh that is such a shame - and a tough call I think.

The Canberra locals deliver a chant about bovine excrement, which somewhat tells the story about what they think about the decision.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:39pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:39pm

30' Knock on Rabbitohs!

By Simon Smale

You feel for Campbell Graham

there.

The kick was a floater, a genuine knuckle ball that floated and bobbed and weaved and dipped and dropped like a bullet through the hands of the Rabbitohs winger, who must have felt like he was waiting under it for an age.

More great field position for the Raiders.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:37pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:37pm

28' THE RAIDERS ARE ROLLING!

By Simon Smale

Another one! Kaeo Weekes scores now!

It's all from the 40:20, Canberra quick to set up in an attacking sense.

Weekes takes a step to take out Tallis Duncan, who raced out of the line, and just scooted over from close range, weaving his way past two covering defenders.

It has been devastating from the Raiders.

Sanders kicks the extras to make it four from five to start for him.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:34pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:34pm

27' ETHAN SANDERS WITH THE 40:20!

By Simon Smale

That is a magnificent kick.

He kicks from just inside his 40 and the ball rolls all the way to a metre out from the Rabbitohs try line.

A superb kick from Sanders.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:32pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:32pm

25' THE RAIDERS HAVE ANOTHER!

By Simon Smale

Big Noah Martin charges over the line.

That's another sensational try for the Raiders, great hands, great speed down the left side, with offloads and superb support that forces a six again.

Owen Pattie has the ball and shimmies his way into some space, passes to the powerful runner, Martin, whose flowing mullet stretches out behind him as he charges into Cody Walker, and then takes him and two of his mates over the line to score.

Stunning work from the Raiders, who are really rolling at the moment.

The kick is good and it's 22-6 to the Raiders.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:25pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:25pm

20' NOW THERE'S AN INTERCEPT!

By Simon Smale

Tevita Tatola

has the ball five metres out. Ashton Ward wanted it to his right.

But Ethan Strange saw it and gathered it in the left hand - setting off up and over half way.

Strange knows he doesn't have the pace, but Kaeo Weekes arrives in support and eats up the remaining 35 metres to the line.

Nobody is stopping him - he dives over in the corner.

What a great try for the Raiders.

The sideline conversion is good and it's 16-6.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:24pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:24pm

19' Raiders almost come away

By Simon Smale

That was unlucky for Ethan Strange.

The Rabbitohs looked to move the ball to the right side again, but Ethan Strange just about gets hits hand up and knocks it on as he tries to get in the way of it.

He does gather it and goes for a run, thinking about a 95-metre intercept, but it's called back for a knock on.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:23pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:23pm

17' Error Raiders!

By Simon Smale

That's a superb set from the Rabbitohs.

They made 60 metres after points, Ashton Ward kicking deep straight to Kaeo Weekes, who has to listen to the footsteps of a rampaging Jack Wighton arriving at pace.

With that pressure coming and an inch-perfect kick, he loses the ball a metre out from his own line and it's ruled a knock on.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:20pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:20pm

15' TRY RABBITOHS!

By Simon Smale

Ashton Ward scoots over!

The Rabbitohs force a goal line drop out that is kicked very long - what we all love to see.

But it makes no difference to the Rabbitohs, who bring the ball back through some solid runs up the guts.

They spin the ball to the right side and Ward just ghosts through a big gap on the right edge of the ruck to score.

That was ever so easy for the Rabbitohs - far too easy as far as the Raiders would hope.

He converts his own score and it's 10-6 to the Raiders.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:16pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:16pm

12' Penalty Rabbitohs

By Simon Smale

It's a wicked kick from the Raiders.

Campbell Graham

is standing under the ball, knees no doubt quaking at the sound of the impending cavalry charge coming his way.

And he should have been nervous as Jed Stuart crunches into him a solid second or two before the ball landed.

A clear penalty and a relieving one for the Rabbitohs.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:14pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:14pm

10' TRY RAIDERS!

By Simon Smale

Oh my word, the green machine is on today.

Hudson Young finishes it off in the corner, but there was a lot going on there, a phenomenal back of the hand flick from Jed Stuart that didn't look possible in real time, and barely looks any less spectacular slowed down.

Hudson Young picked up the ball off his boot laces and he muscles himself over in the corner.

The Bunker is having a look at it, and they finally clear it.

Superb football from the Raiders.

Sanders scuffs his sideline conversion and the score is 10-0.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:11pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:11pm

9' Error Rabbitohs

By Simon Smale

Lost ball there from Brandon Smith, just after the Bunnies earned themselves a set restart and pushed into the Raiders half of the field.

I get the feeling that the Rabbitohs are going to have to be sharper today, or risk having their pants pulled down.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:09pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:09pm

I'm pinning my hopes on the union fellas...

By Simon Smale

Arvo Simon. I'm hoping your spirits have lifted since England's loss the other day. Mine have - somewhat. I'm far from the world's best tipster but my old bones tell me Rabbitohs, Warriors and Bulldogs. England v France however is truly difficult.

- Old timer

The rematch is in Santiago del Estero at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades.

I hope Steve Borthwick's men can redeem the nation.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:06pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:06pm

3' TRY RAIDERS!

By Simon Smale

Perfect start for the Raiders!

Ethan Strange with a step, he takes out two Rabbitohs players  with that single step, shrugging away a tackle from David Fifita, before passing inside to Owen Pattie.

He dives over untouched.

It's a brilliant start, the Raiders earning a repeat set in the middle of that attack thanks to Pattie's quickness around the ruck.

And he's quick enough to score there off the back of Strange's brilliance.

Sanders scores the extras and it's 6-0 early doors.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:01pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 3:01pm

1' We're underway

By Simon Smale

The Rabbitohs kick off, they're in a white number with their green and red stripes across the shoulders, while the Raiders are in their traditional green.

As we've already mentioned, perfect conditions in Canberra today.

Key Event

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 2:58pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 2:58pm

Storm deliver Will Warbrick injury update

By Simon Smale

And just as I wrote that last post about Will Warbrick, it has been confirmed by the Storm that he has sustained a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The Storm said he will undergo surgery early next week and commence his rehabilitation with Storm medical staff.

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 2:54pm

Sat 18 Jul 2026 at 2:54pm

Starling's emotional jersey presentation

By Simon Smale