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Canberra Raiders thrash Paramatta Eels 14 - 0

AAP
Canberra have kept a clean sheet for the first time in four years with a 14-0 NRL victory over Parramatta, overcoming treacherous weather conditions to post a 12th straight win at home.

Hail, sleet and rain saturated Canberra Stadium before and after kick-off, ensuring a dour contest and a high number of errors.

It was the first time the Raiders have kept an opponent scoreless since round 21 in 2009, dooming the Eels to their eighth consecutive loss.

Raiders captain Terry Campese was outstanding for the home side, calmly directing play to set up the first two tries.

"I made it a bit personal tonight," Campese said.

"I've struggled in the wet this year, not running the ball.

Canberra prop David Shillington was another standout, his error-free man-of-the-match performance yielding a valuable 176 metres in attack.

It didn't take long for the slippery conditions to take effect, Eels winger Brayden Wiliame spilling a Campese bomb a metre off his tryline in the sixth minute to gift centre Jarrod Croker a converted try.

The night got worse for Wiliame when the video referee ruled he failed to place down a Luke Kelly chip kick in the 26th minute.

Adding injury to insult, Wiliame was then caught off his wing minutes later when Campese threw a cut out pass to Sami Sauiluma to extend the Raiders' lead to 12-0 going into the break.

The Eels came agonisingly close to hitting back with a try in the 68th minute, Croker pulling off a superb low tackle to drag Eels centre Ryan Morgan into touch.

Eels interchange Joseph Paulo was then sin-binned with seven minutes to go after his early tackle on Shaun Fensom prevented a certain try, Croker nailing the resulting penalty to give the Raiders an unassailable 14-0 lead.

Eels captain Tim Mannah admitted the chilly four degree celsius temperatures took its toll.

"It's a nice place to come to, but it's also a nice place to leave," Mannah said.

Despite the loss, Eels coach Ricky Stuart said he was proud of his side's performance, pointing out they had two video referee calls narrowly go against them.

"If they went our way we probably would have won the game," Stuart said.

"Everything I asked them to do they did tonight.

"You're not going to play in much tougher conditions."

Young Raiders fullback Anthony Milford was classy at the back, his handling skills tested by Eels halfback Kelly's kicking game on countless occasions.

"Is Kevin Rudd renting over at Yarralumla still? Because I'd be buying the Lodge and giving it to young Milford to keep him here," Stuart said.

"He's a real talent."

The win puts the Raiders one step closer to the club's home winning streak record of 17, which was posted between 1993 and 1995.
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