Cowboys co-captain Johnathan Thurston's field goal attempt sensationally hit the underside of the crossbar and stopped just inches inside the dead-ball line - allowing Gavin Cooper to charge onto it and score the winner.

Raiders winger Jordan Rapana produced a similarly stunning moment last season when he chased down a Blake Austin field goal to claim the loose ball against Newcastle.

Thurston was only inches away from scoring this try himself, but Cooper got there first to deny Thurston his 2000th point.

Bird is the word

It's not hard to tell what Rapana thought of the referee's decision to call a forward pass when he thought he'd scored the match winner.

Rapana produced a two-handed salute that Maverick, the character out of movie Top Gun, would have been proud of.

It was certainly a controversial call - Rapana's pass to Elliott Whitehead just two minutes into golden point appeared to go sideways before drifting forward.

Whitehead was away and then sent it wide to a supporting Rapana, who thought he'd scored the winner.

It was called back and the rest is history.

A star is born?

The Cowboys targeted Raiders debutant Nick Cotric, but it didn't stop him from a starring in his first NRL game.

His first carry was a strong one and he showed he belonged at the elite level both in defence and attack.

The 18-year-old produced a try-saving tackle - forcing his opposite number Kyle Feldt into touch just before the Cowboys winger dived into the corner.

He plucked an intercept and sprinted half the length of the field when the Cowboys had an overap and seemed destined to score.

Cotric also put in the kick that led to the Green Machine scoring to take the lead despite having a man in the sin bin.

Throw in 137 running metres and some cramp and it was a solid night's work for the young back.

Green wall

They might not have won, but the Raiders' defensive effort will certainly win them admirers.

Despite losing Clay Priest for 10 minutes to the sin bin and giving up 62 per cent of the possession to the Cowboys, the Raiders defended grimly against wave after wave of Cowboys pressure.

It's an area they've been much maligned in in the past, but it's clearly something that's come on in leaps and bounds.

They showed towards the end of 2016 against Melbourne and Cronulla it was a part of their game that was on the rise, and that seems to have continued at the start of this season.

Canberra to raid versatile backs

The Canberra Raiders will target young, utility players to fill the hole left by the departure of winger Edrick Lee to the Cronulla Sharks rather than a specialist winger like Rooster Daniel Tupou.

Raiders recruitment boss Peter Mulholland said there weren't many outside backs on the market at the moment, but things could start to happen a couple of games into the season.

The Green Machine have been linked to Tupou and Dragons flyer Kalifa Faifai Loa, but Mulholland said they weren't on his radar.

"We need to look at players that can play a couple of positions, I think that's the way rosters are heading," he told the ABC.

"Daniel Tupou to me is just exclusively a winger, as is Faifai Loa. I think we'll be looking for a bit more versatility and it's an opportunity for us to look at younger players as well."