'What an athlete': Teen phenom scores long-range epic with first touch in NRLW

Any time a player runs 80 metres to score a try, it's special.

When a player does so on their NRL or NRLW debut, it's particularly special.

When they do so on debut and with their first touch of the ball, it's probably in a video game.

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Well, Dragons winger Indie Bostock scored a try in precisely those incredible circumstances in Canberra on Saturday afternoon.

In the fourth minute of the opening-round NRLW clash between St George Illawarra and Canberra, the 18-year-old received a pass inside her team's 20-metre zone, spun out of a tackle, shot through a gap, brushed off the fullback with a left-hand fend, and motored away to score.

It was the first of six tries scored by the Dragons, who opened their campaign with a 36-14 thrashing of the Raiders on a chilly winter's day in Canberra.

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"That's a wonderful individual try," Phil Gould said on the Nine broadcast.

"What an athlete."

Ruan Sims added: "She ate that, for sure. She is going to have that for dinner. She'll be dining out on that try for a while to come!"

Bostock, the younger sister of Dolphins flyer Jack Bostock, crossed for two tries on her NRLW debut.

Her pair of tries flanked a priceless moment produced by St George Illawarra skipper Zali Hopkins, who burrowed over from dummy-half and replicated the iconic try celebration of former NRL cult hero Mark "Piggy" Riddell.

In a clash between the Dragons and Cowboys in Wollongong in 2002, "Piggy" famously scored a try, jumped the fence, took a seat and applauded his own efforts.

Hopkins, a dummy-half, as was Riddell, perched herself on the fence and applauded her efforts from there, adding her own brilliant touch to Try July.

And "Piggy" was at GIO Stadium to see it in the flesh, having taken up a role as an assistant coach with the Dragons' NRLW side this year.

"A nod to 'Piggy'," quipped Millie Elliott on Nine.

The Dragons only led by a try with 12 minutes to go, but suddenly piled on three unanswered tries, all of which were converted, to pencil in their 36-14 win.

Teagan Berry was exceptional for the Dragons at fullback, racking up 247 run metres, making four line breaks, busting through 11 tackles, setting up a try and scoring a try of her own.

The Raiders will host the Sharks next Saturday, while the Dragons will take on the Roosters in Kogarah on the same day.