Canberra coach Ricky Stuart refused to attribute a second-half sin-binning for Jack Wighton as the reason for the Raiders' collapse in a 24-14 loss to Newcastle.
The Raiders now have a 1-3 start for the 2023 NRL season and things don't get any easier with reigning premiers Penrith and table-toppers Brisbane awaiting them in the next fortnight.
Wighton would be at long odds to play against the Panthers next Friday after he was marched for 10 minutes by referee Gerard Sutton in the 48th minute.
The NSW Origin star, who was also placed on report in the first half for a high shot on Newcastle No.1 Lachlan Miller, was sent to the sin-bin after he collected the head of Knights halfback Jackson Hastings with his shoulder.
Stuart's side struggled for direction without Wighton - and when he returned - but the Raiders coach refused to pinpoint the loss on his playmaker's brain explosion.
"It doesn't really matter what I think, Hastings got up pretty quickly," Stuart said.
"He was falling when Jack came in, he was trying to change the momentum in a desperate period of play.
"The other thing I think is the speed and intensity of the way it happened ... nobody got injured, he just got clipped around the neck.
"It (a sin-binning) has happened before and we've won games."
With Wighton off the field Newcastle opened the Raiders' left edge apart with Tyson Frizell and from there Adam O'Brien's men hung on for their first win at home in seven games.
Tries to Hudson Young, Wighton and a two-point field-goal from Matt Frawley had given the Raiders a 14-8 lead at the break.
Greg Marzhew and Bradman Best had crossed to keep the Knights in the game but after halftime the Green Machine broke down.
In the 10-minute period after halftime, Marzhew added his second, Dane Gagai crossed and Frizell barged his way over after Wighton's 10-minute dismissal.
"They scored three tries and that's unacceptable from our point of view," Stuart said.
"They got their tails up and it was hard to pull back. It was inexcusable, some of the tries they scored."
Even when Wighton returned the Knights held firm as they frustrated a one-dimensional Raiders attack.
Hastings and halves partner Tyson Gamble, who continues to deputise well for Kalyn Ponga, looked assured.
"Tyson has been an outstanding. He's a competitor you win out there by competing and that's what he gives us," said O'Brien, whose side face Manly in Mudgee on Saturday.
"There's an opportunity for us to go on a mission out there.
"We need to address a few things defensively but we need to get excited about our week, we're playing a good footy team but we're a good footy team (too)."
