Raiders v Warriors preview

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Dark horses face off in ACT.

Coming off a bye, the Canberra Raiders will be looking to assert themselves as a force to be reckoned with in September as they look to secure their first finals appearance since 2012. Producing an emphatic performance against the Warriors earlier in the season, coach Ricky Stuart will be looking for a similar effort from his side in order to keep their chances of finishing in the top four in tact. With Kurt Baptiste out for a month, the Raiders have opted against bringing in former Knight Adam Clydesdale, instead adding Luke Bateman to the bench in an effort to outmuscle the dominant Warriors forward pack. With a chance to finish the weekend in fourth position with a win, the Raiders will be have their sights set firmly on coming away from GIO Stadium with two points.

Suffering a frustrating extra time loss to the Sea Eagles last Saturday, the Warriors will be hoping for a different result in Canberra. Currently sitting eighth position alongside a host of teams on 20 competition points, Saturday's match will have a significant impact on where the New Zealanders end up in in seven weeks. In a major boost to their chances, coach Andrew McFadden has been able to call upon Queensland prop Jacob Lillyman, while Tuimoala Lolohea can expect to see a significant increase in game time after sitting on the bench for 80 minutes in Perth. Having shown glimpses of brilliance throughout 2016 to date, the Warriors will need to deliver on Saturday if they are to seriously challenge the likes of Cronulla and Melbourne in September.

Last meeting: Round 11 2016 - Warriors 12 Raiders 38

Who to watch: Signed by Canberra as a virtual unknown, backrower Elliot Whitehead has gone from strength to strength in his first season down under. Playing predominantly on the right edge, the 26-year-old English international hasn't attracted the same wraps as some of his fellow teammates, but with and without the ball has played a major role in the Raiders resurgence. With a tireless attitude in defence and capable of coming up with passes befitting a playmaker, Whitehead looms as a key figure for the Raiders as they continue their surge towards September.

In a season interrupted by injury, Warriors behemoth Manu Vatuvei remains one of the NRL's great entertainers. Renown for his try-scoring prowess, the man affectionately dubbed "The Beast" will be out to continue his prolific strike rate against the Raiders on Saturday. With 16 tries from 13 clashes against Canberra, the veteran Kiwi will need to be contained by the home side, or else the Warriors may find themselves on track to record yet another emphatic victory over the Green Machine.

The favourite: Sitting comfortably inside the top eight, the Raiders are expected to account for the Warriors at home.

My tip: If the Warriors are serious contenders for the top eight, they have to beat the Raiders on Saturday. Warriors by 2.

1. Jack Wighton 2. Edrick Lee 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Joseph Leilua 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Blake Austin 7. Aidan Sezer 14. Iosia Soliola 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Shannon Boyd 11. Josh Papalii 12. Elliot Whitehead 13. Shaun Fensom
Interchange: 8. Junior Paulo 15. Luke Bateman 18. Adam Clydsdale 17. Joseph Tapine

1. David Fusitua 2. Ken Maumalo 3. Blake Ayshford 4. Solomone Kata 5. Manu Vatuvei 6. Thomas Leuluai 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Jacob Lillyman 9. Issac Luke 10. James Gavet 11. Bunty Afoa 12. Ryan Hoffman 13. Simon Mannering
Interchange: 14. Tuimoala Lolohea 15. Sam Lisone 16. Ben Matulino 17. Jazz Tevaga

Referees: Gerard Sutton, Chris James; Sideline Officials: Brett Suttor, Jon Stone; Video Referees: Bernard Sutton, Ben Galea, Jason Robinson