Learoyd-Lahrs lauds Raiders defence

Canberra hitman Tom Learoyd-Lahrs says a training camp enjoyed by the squad last week paid dividends in the victory over Newcastle.

The Raiders spent a week on the New South Wales Central Coast preparing for the clash with the Knights at Hunter Stadium on Saturday.

And the move paid off, with the Raiders dominating the home side in a 32-16 victory.

Prior to the match the Raiders had suffered heavy defeats against Wests Tigers and Brisbane, but NSW Origin representative Learoyd-Lahrs said the camp helped instill some much-needed confidence. 

“There were no worries there, and we had a great chance to spend some time with each other this week and enjoy each other’s company,” he told the Raiders' official website.

“I thought we played like that out there tonight, I thought we turned up for one another so that was great.

Learoys-Lahrs was quick to defend the struggling Knights however.

“You’ve got to remember they’ve got some really quality guys in that side there who can put points on against anyone, and they showed that last week against Brisbane,” he said.

“They got themselves back into the game before half time with a flurry of points.

“They’ve got attacking threats all across the park, they’ve got one of the best dummy halves in the game and one of the best halves in the game as well.

“I thought we just played with plenty of spirit in defence, and our attitude was great, and it probably wouldn’t have mattered who we played tonight.”