Bulldogs halfback Brent Sherwin produced two moments of brilliance to help defeat Canberra 30-12 in Saturday night's rain-soaked NRL qualifying final at Telstra Stadium and propel his side straight into week three of the playoffs.

With the scores locked at 6-all just three minutes before the halftime break, Sherwin produced a superb inside pass to give fullback Luke Patten a saloon passage to the line.

And with his side in control with 12 minutes remaining, the 28-year-old snuffed out any hopes of a Raiders comeback by laying on a try for Hazem El Masri with a pin-point kick into the in-goal.

Sherwin's superb kicking and passing display rekindled memories of his golden run of form in 2004, which was instrumental in the Belmore club winning the competition in that year.

The result also keeps alive the season of Manly, who now only require Melbourne to account for Parramatta at Olympic Park on Sunday to stay in the premiership race.

An upset looked on the cards when the Raiders raced to a 6-0 lead after just eight minutes courtesy of a Phil Graham try.

The underrated centre pounced on the loose ball after Willie Mason was unable to clean up a clever Jason Smith grubber.

The advantage was short-lived, however, with the Bulldogs hitting back through Andrew Ryan.

The Bulldogs captain brushed past Adam Mogg and slid over the tryline after steaming onto a Corey Hughes ball from short range.

The home side enjoyed the majority of field position and possession, only to be denied by some desperate last-ditch Canberra defence and a touch of bad luck.

But Sherwin's brilliant pass just before the main break gave the visitors the lead, an advantage they never surrendered.

The Raiders never gave up, but there season effectively ended when the Bulldogs scored three tries in a 15-minute period after the break.

Andrew Emilio, Daniel Holdsworth and Hazem El Masri scored between the 53rd and 68th minute, with the Raiders only able to answer with a consolation try to winger Adrian Purtell.

The loss ends the Raiders season and provides a sad farewell for departing stars Clinton Schifcofske, Adam Mogg, Michael Hodgson, Simon Woolford, Jason Croker, Jason Smith and coach Matthew Elliott.

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