The Raiders easily beat the Cronulla Sharks 34-16 at Canberra in their National Rugby League sudden-death playoffs opener on Sunday.
It's the Raiders' sixth straight win and they now play South Sydney at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night with some real momentum, while the Rabbitohs had a confidence-sapping thrashing in Melbourne from the Storm in their qualifying final.
The North Queensland Cowboys meet former Premiership favourites Manly in Friday night's other sudden death encounter at Allianz Stadium.
In the under-20 Toyota Cup playoffs the Junior New Zealand Warriors lost a thriller, coughing up a six-point lead to lose 39-38 to the Canberra Raiders and missing the chance at winning a week off.
However, the Junior Warriors do get a second shot at the playoffs on Saturday in Sydney, against the Roosters.
