Canberra's Mr Reliable delivers as all-time Tigers comeback spoiled ...

What. A. Finish.

Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty scored two incredible tries and then booted the match-winning penalty goal at the death to sink the Wests Tigers in a dramatic 20-19 win on Friday night.

Canberra were cruising to victory at 18-0 in Campbelltown before the Tigers scored three tries between the 69th and 73rd minute to lock up the scores.

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Tigers halfback Luke Brooks then nailed a 30-metre field goal from out wide to give his side the lead with four minute remaining.

But the Raiders got the ball back after a short kick-off and they marched down field to get Fogarty in position for a game-tying field goal.

Fogarty’s shot missed but his legs were taken out by Isaiah Papali’i, which gifted him a penalty goal in front and he made no mistake.

“Don’t make contact with the legs. You know that’s part of it,” Greg Alexander said on Fox League.

“Fogarty moves his leg backwards to make it look less dangerous .. if he doesn’t move it backwards a bit he almost breaks his leg

“He hit him with force, but I’m thinking if I’m a Tiger I’m filthy at that player.”

All three Canberra tries came off Fogarty’s boot and he scored two of them after grubbering into the upright and regathering.

The Tigers made 15 errors and rookie Jahream Bula, who burst into the NRL last month, had a particularly rough night with several costly mistakes.

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The Raiders drew first blood when halfback Fogarty sliced through the Tigers’ defence and scored a brilliant individual try.

Fogarty grubbered into the upright and was first to the rebound before he put it on the toe again and score the opener in the seventh minute.

Canberra crossed again when Fogarty put up a bomb in the 33rd minute and Bula dropped it cold five metres from his line.

It allowed winger Jordan Rapana to pounce and score the simplest of tries and Forgarty converted in front.

The Tigers had a chance to score on the stroke of halftime but Bula was bundled into touch on the just the second tackle.

“The Raiders have done their homework on Bula, it’s been brutal for him out there,” Mick Ennis said on Fox League.

Fogarty picked up where he left off in the second half and scored a second try by putting a grubber into the upright.

Bula kept fighting and scored in the 69th minute just after Tom Starling was binned for a professional foul in the ruck.

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Brooks then made a break from the ensuing kick-off which led to a John Bateman try to set up a grandstand finish.

“The Tigers are roaring back. Canberra were coasting to victory and it’s the former Raider who gets them to within a converted try,” Ginnane said.

“What a turn around,” Flanagan said.

Then it was Brandon Wakeham who scored the third after pouncing on a grubber to make it 18-18

“It just took one moment, the sin bin, and it sparked them. Three tries in four minutes,” Ginnane said.

But after the late drama it was Canberra went home with the two points.

Here are three of the biggest talking points out of the match.

WINNING MACHINE FOGARTY

Fogarty has close to a 70 per cent win record playing for the Raiders and without him the Green Machine would have gone home empty-handed on Friday.

The halfback’s first try was impressive enough but when he repeated it in the second half, the commentators lost it.

“Fogarty along the ground, it’s hit the post again and he’s scored again, Jamal Fogarty is mesmerising the Wests tigers. Three tries all off Fogarty’s boot and two of them involve the goalpost and those two scored by the Canberra No 7,” Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.

“What a night he’s having, he is the standout.”

“Surely Dan this is a record, two kicks that ricochet off the posts, I’m going to say he aimed for it again. Beautiful kick, he just get a bit of the goalposts on this occasion and doesn’t have to kick it again like the first try but it’s a great last play option,” Shane Flanagan responded.

“He has another crack at the goalposts with a good chase and does it all himself.

“If you’ve got a really good kicking game and pin sides down and make them come off their sideline then good things will happen. Tonight, Fogarty has just had a real good plan, he’s attacked the posts, yeah he might have got a little bit lucky but he’s chased hard.”

LATE DRAMA

Tigers coach Tim Sheens said he’ll be talking NRL referees’ boss after a controversial late penalty cost his side the match on Friday night.

The Tigers were ahead 19-18 in the 76th minute when Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty’s field goal attempt sailed wide, but referee Gerard Sutton still blew his whistle.

Sutton ruled Fogarty had his legs taken out by backrower Isaiah Papali’i which gifted Canberra a penalty goal in front - and the game.

“Well I’ll make my comments to the referees, but yeah, I’ve got a couple issues, for sure,” Sheens said after the game.

“I’m not gonna blow up. Ricky (Stuart) does that and it costs him $10,000, so I’m not gonna do the same but I’ll have my say - don’t worry about that.

“Two points are two points and every club is striving for them. This month is very, very important through the Origin series, when guys go out like Api (Koroisau), these wins are huge.

“Halfway through the season wins are huge and losses hurt you big time, there’s no doubt.”

Canberra coach Stuart had a surprising take on the incident, saying he “feels sorry” for Papali’i.

“He hit his leg and it’s unfortunate and I feel sorry for him because he’s only doing his best for his team and it was an accident,” Stuart said.

“Yeah it went our way but I feel sorry for him.”

RED-EYED QUEENSLANDER

There’s a Maroons spot up for grabs with Tom Gilbert out of Game 2 and Camberra redhead Corey Horsburgh delivered another strong performance.

Horsburgh was close to cracking Billy Slater’s Queensland squad for the series opener and just missed out, but he sent a gentle reminder on Friday night.

The 25-year-old did his chances no harm with 51 metres from eight carries while also making 41 tackles.

Teammate Hudson Young showed his usual aggression but was not as effective as normal following 25 minutes for the Blues in Game 1.

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