Cordner in strife as Roosters hoodoo continues

The Roosters’ minor premiership hopes have taken a hit after their Canberra hoodoo continued with a nail-biting defeat to the Raiders on Sunday.

To make matters worse for the Tri-colours, star forward Boyd Cordner could be set for a spell on the sidelines for a lifting tackle on Luke Bateman.

The incident came in the shadows of halftime, with the Roosters trailing the hosts 10-0.

Cordner tried to drive the Raiders player back as he was racing towards the Roosters’ tryline but got the tackle wrong and lifted Bateman beyond the horizontal point.

“Oh boy! I think he may be in trouble, Boyd Cordner,” Fox Sports commentator Andrew Voss said.

Plenty of viewers agreed that the Match Review Committee had more than enough grounds to hit Cordner with a suspension over the incident.

The Roosters could have gone a game clear on top of the ladder with a win at GIO Stadium but instead it was the home side that sprung a 14-12 upset.

The result extends a poor record for the Roosters in the nation’s capital, where they haven’t won since 2010.

The Roosters are locked in a three-way battle at the top of the table for the minor premiership with Melbourne and South Sydney.

The Storm are ahead because of their superior points difference.

Trent Robinson’s team had a chance to score in the final minute as they charged in attack, but a knock-on proved their undoing.

The turnover allowed the Raiders to hang on for the win – bucking a common trend of losing close games at the death this season.

Unlike most games featuring the Raiders this season, defence reigned supreme as Ricky Stuart’s team held the Roosters scoreless in the first half.

The Raiders led 12-0 at the break thanks to an early try for winger Jordan Rapana before halfback Sam Williams slotted three penalty goals in windy conditions.

But the Roosters were never going to wilt as captain Boyd Cordner found a gap in a sleepy Raiders defence just a few minutes into the second half.

Roosters lock Victor Radley levelled the scores with a diving try in the 60th minute, but the Raiders weren’t done as Williams put his team back in front with another penalty goal.

That’s where the score would stay as the Raiders secured their ninth win of the season and maintained their position in 10th on the ladder.

The Raiders had to deal with Luke Bateman and Brad Abbey going off for head injury assessments, forcing five-eighth Blake Austin to move to fullback.

With AAP