NRLW finals live updates: Injury concerns mount for Roosters in tense prelim

Sergis charges out of her own end and gets a penalty, taking the quick tap and picking up another 15 or so metres into Raiders’ territory.

“The ill-discipline can’t continue for the Green Machine,” Ruan Sims said on Nine.

Naividi is tackled over the sideline and throws the ball back in to a Raiders player, but referee Badger blows a penalty for a second effort.

Canberra hold on in defence, saving a couple of tries with sheer desperation.

Bit of concern for Kelleher, who is limping around with strapping on her leg, while teammate Fressard is off for the Roosters with a shoulder injury.

The women are leaving it all out there tonight.

Blackwell is ordered away from the play by referee Kasey Badger, with blood pouring from her nose and face and spilling all over her lime green kit.

“She’s gonna need a new jersey as well,” Ruan Sims said on Nine.

The five-eighth is soon instructed to leave the field and change jerseys, with the blood unable to stop despite a Raiders trainer attending to her for a few minutes.

Blackwell returns moments later with the No.25 jersey on her back and gets into space, racing away to score Canberra’s first try of the night.

Canberra head into the break with some confidence, down 10-4 at half time.

Scrappy last-tackle from the Chooks in good-ball territory, with Aiken kicking the ball into a Canberra player’s leg and the hosts end up getting tackled.

“Aiken is furious, she thinks a Raider played at it,” Peter Psaltis said on Nine.

Aiken begs with her captain Kelly to send it upstairs for a challenge, but it’s unsuccessful after replays showed the ball wasn’t played at.

Dodd coughs it up and gives the Roosters another attacking opportunity, but a disjointed last-play option dies when Fressard drops a cross-field bomb.

Raiders get a rare chance in the red zone and Blackwell tries to dart over, briefly catching some defenders napping before the Roosters scramble.

Temara throws a cut-out pass to Law on last tackle instead of kicking it, but the Raiders centre is dragged down a few metres out.

From their next set, Temara boots it out of her own end and a sharp bounce forces an error from Baxter, who knew she’d got a hand to it.

“What a wicked bounce, the referee got it 100 per cent right,” Paul Gallen said.

The visitors fail to come away with points, spilling the ball in attacking territory and it comes back to bite them when Kelly races into the clear.

The star Roosters centre is dragged down by Gallagher, earning a penalty for a hair pull, before front-rower Butler crashes over to extend the lead.

Poor offload from the Raiders coming of trouble and Strange scoops it up.

Roosters go on the attack but Parker is bundled into touch by some good scramble defence, as Waterman crunches her opposing winger.

Nervous start for the Raiders, allowing the opening kick off to bounce before scrambling to regather it and avoid disaster.

Elliott stays down clutching at the back of her neck and the Roosters get a penalty.

Basham is placed on report for a crusher tackle.

“It didn’t look like there was much in it, but Millie was uncomfortable right away,” Ruan Sims said on Nine.

Roosters take advantage of the field position as Fressard dives over in the corner, polishing off a slick backline movement.

We are just moments away from kick off at Allianz Stadium.

Big game coming up with a grand final spot up for grabs.

Raiders star Zahara Temara is carrying plenty of weight on her shoulders tonight and is her side’s best hope of causing a monumental upset.

Temara believes the tenacity showed in the 6-0 win over the Tigers will hold the Raiders in good stead against the competition’s benchmark.

“We’re a pretty gritty team, defensively we’re very strong – we probably haven’t been that team in previous seasons,” she told Nine pre-game.

“We dug deep and proved that we can stay alive in that arm wrestle.”

While it’s highly unlikely, the Roosters could be farewelling two champions and pioneers of the NRLW era tonight, should they be eliminated.

Corban Baxter and Millie Elliott will both hang up the boots at season’s end, but are hoping to add another piece of silverware before retiring.

Elliott has won four premierships during her career with the Broncos, Knights and Roosters, while teammate Baxter was the inaugural captain for the Chooks.

Earlier this season, the Roosters defeated the Raiders 22-18 in what was a tight battle that pushed the premiership favourites to their limits.

In fact, it was the second-closest margin for the Chooks all season, who wiped the floor with the majority of their NRLW rivals.

The narrow 12-10 win over the Wests Tigers in round two was their closest.