Devastated Canberra captain Alan Tongue says he had trouble believing his eyes as he watched the New Zealand Warriors boot the Raiders out of the race for the NRL premiership.

The Warriors' historic win from eighth spot over minor premiers Melbourne meant Canberra dropped out of the finals series following a 36-10 loss to Cronulla on Saturday night.

Tongue watched Sunday's Olympic Park clash at home nursing his sick three-year-old daughter and said he'd had trouble believing it as Manu Vatuvei offloaded superbly for Michael Witt's 78th minute clincher.

"I was just going `I cannot believe this'," Tongue told AAP.

"I suppose when you lose a game of footy it wasn't in our hands, it's a bit of our own fault I suppose."

A Melbourne win would have given the Raiders a second chance.

"Even as close as it was, I still thought the style Melbourne play, I was still confident they'd get away with it," Tongue said.

"We were gearing up for training tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, anyway things have taken a pretty sharp turn.

"I dare say we'll get together, obviously we didn't have anything planned ... we'll be drowning our sorrows a little bit."

Tongue said the disappointment was worse because his inexperienced side had shaken off their finals nerves at Toyota Stadium.

"It's probably a bit disappointing because we knew after playing the game last night we'd be better off for that experience," he said.

"That's what finals footy's all about, you get an opportunity you've got to take it, you can't bank on having a second chance.

"We'll be a lot better for this season and even the one finals appearance that we've had."

The Raiders finished an amazing sixth in a year their best player, Todd carney, was sacked, coach Neil Henry signalled he would quit the club, 10 regular first-graders sat out much of the season with injury and bookmakers said they would pick up the wooden spoon.

"There was plenty of adversity faced and there were a lot of guys who came into the grade who should hold their head up very, very high," Tongue said.

"We really stuck together and played for each other right throughout the year.

"The highlights for me were just some of the guys week in, week out playing with injuries.

"There were guys playing and training week in, week out I think that at other clubs probably would have maybe sat out a game or two.

"And we just kept turning up because we knew that at the end of the day there wasn't probably many others to choose from.

"I'll never forget that, especially from this season."

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