Dragons win season opener in Canberra

Bostock’s NRLW career got off to a dream start with the 18-year-old taking in a Berry ball from inside her own half, spinning out of a tackle, and racing 70-plus metres to touch down for the Red V.

Raecene McGregor nailed the conversion to make it 6-0 the way of the visitors just five minutes into the contest.

Canberra claimed a try moments later after Zahara Temara burst into the backfield and sent a grubber the way of her chasers only for Berry to win the race and ground the ball in-goal.

The Dragons lost their Captain’s Challenge a little over 10 minutes into proceedings in an attempt to overturn a knock-on ruling as they defended their own line.

The hosts were able to score off it through a determined Hollie-Mae Dodd effort with Temara’s conversion waved away as the score remained 6-4.

The Raiders threatened to cross once more their next set off a butchered kick defusal only for Isabella Waterman to spill the ball in her attempt to ground it.

Recently named co-captain Zali Hopkins was able to find a try under the sticks out of dummy-half for the Red V off a strong Madi Mulhall carry and celebrated Try July in style channelling her inner Mark ‘Piggy’ Riddell jumping onto the advertising hoarding and applauding her own effort.

An offside penalty off the following kick-off saw the Dragons handed another shot at the Canberra line but the hosts were able to hold firm to keep it an eight-point game.

Canberra centre Mackenzie Wiki was placed on report afterwards for a high shot on Margot Vella with Keele Browne pulled down inches short of the line off it.

Cheyelle Robins-Reti claimed another for the hosts prior to half-time only to be denied by video officials on account of an obstruction.

The second stanza started in similar fashion to the first for the visitors with Berry and Bostock linking to lay on another after the former sliced through down the right flank and found her supporting centre on her inside to grow the lead beyond a pair of converted tries.

The Raiders found a needed response soon after through Madison Bartlett who finished things off after the Dragons’ right edge had been stripped for numbers.

Vella came up with a key defensive play for the Dragons moments later tracking back to intercept a pass which would have resulted in a try before taking off downfield as the margin remained at 10.

Canberra’s fightback persisted however with the hosts snagging their third with 15 minutes to play through a hard-running Sophie Holyman who crashed over under the posts to cut their deficit back to 18-14.

Just when her team needed it, Berry stepped up to manufacture a brilliant individual effort off an attacking scrum from her own 30-metre line slipping into space again down the right flank and leaving her chasers in the dust to dive over and make it a double-digit advantage once more.

Bostock went close to snatching her third try of the afternoon shortly after only to be denied by video officials who had picked up a mid-air knock-on in the lead-up.

It was instead McGregor who sealed it for the visitors using her footwork and deception to poke her nose through and slam the ball down under the crossbar before converting her own try to make it 30-14.

Cross’ squad were not yet content however with Bostock crafting a one-handed pass back on her inside to Vella who stepped her way to the line to put a bow on a sweet Dragons victory.