Canberra Raiders Michael Oldfield plays 50th NRL game 11 years after debut

Together they gestured the number 50. The Canberra Raiders back had been waiting for this - and he deserves to lap it up given it has taken almost 11 years to get there.

Oldfield ran onto the park for his 50^th game as the Raiders accounted for the New Zealand Warriors 20-6 on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

It marks a huge milestone in a journey that started with Manly Warringah in August of 2010, one that has taken him to the Sydney Roosters, South Sydney, Penrith and Canberra.

So often the man to fill a gap for a fortnight and head back to reserve grade, it's easy to forget he has actually been in the NRL system for far longer than almost all of his Raiders teammates - barring a few veterans.

Of course there is Sia Soliola, the Green Machine's spiritual leader who burst onto the scene in Sydney's east way back in 2005.

Jarrod Croker got his first taste of the top grade in 2009, the same year Josh Hodgson and Elliott Whitehead made their debuts in the English Super League.

Dunamis Lui's first NRL game came in 2010 - but even he has racked up 140 appearances amid an at times injury-riddled career.

The rest of them? They all came after Oldfield, though that hasn't stopped Josh Papalii from racking up 199 games, or Jack Wighton from playing 158 despite his teammate's two-year head start.

The Warriors narrowly avoided a piece of unwanted history and they've got Raiders halfback George Williams to thank for it.

Not since Annandale in 1920 has a team been held scoreless in their opening two games of the season.

It seemed as though New Zealand would suffer the same fate before Williams collected Kodi Nikorima without the ball to see the Warriors gifted a penalty try in the 74^th minute.

The Warriors have lacked any real spark throughout their opening two games of the season. They went scoreless in Newcastle, and this time they had 69 per cent of the ball in the opening 23 minutes but it was still Canberra who struck first.

There can be little doubt the Warriors have emerged as a contender to Canberra's crown of "the people's team".

Fair enough too, given their selfless decision to stay in Australia to ensure both they and the entire competition could continue without more disruption in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

That's why Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson took a chance to thank the Warriors after the game for agreeing to push on in the face of remarkable adversity.

But their move to the Gold Coast will certainly force the Warriors out of their comfort zone, with coach Steve Kearney already looking like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The Warriors won just four games away from home last year - a trend they desperately need to reverse given every match will effectively be on the road in the foreseeable future.