Round 5: Wests Tigers v Raiders preview
Last start losers look to bounce back.
After being publicly condemned by their respective coaches last week, the Wests Tigers and Canberra Raiders will be determined to redeem themselves on Saturday evening at Campbelltown Stadium.
Suffering the ignominy of becoming the first team to lose to the Titans in almost a year, the Wests Tigers will be stressing the importance of playing for 80 minutes against last year's grand finalists.
Establishing several game-winning leads only to falter at the death 28-23 last Sunday, Tigers coach Michael Maguire will be hoping Campbelltown Stadium serves as a fortuitous venue against the Raiders following seven wins from ten clashes over the past two decades.
Responding to the embarrassment of last week with a host of changes, Josh Reynolds replaces Benji Marshall in one the biggest selection bombshells of the season, while Tommy Talau, Zane Musgrove, Russell Packer and Michael Chee-Kam come into the squad.
Having been hailed as premiership favourites following a dominant display in Melbourne, the Canberra Raiders were found off the pace from the opening minute last Sunday.
Outclassed by the Knights 34-18 in their first loss since last year's grand final, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart will be banking on a dominant record against the joint venture having won eight of their past ten meetings by a combined total of 274-68.
Keeping faith with the same team humbled by Newcastle last week, Jack Wighton will need to pass concussion protocols after failing his HIA test. Should the Clive Churchill Medallist be ruled out, former Canterbury playmaker Matt Frawley looms as the likely replacement.
Last meeting: Round 18 2019 - Raiders 20 Wests Tigers 12
Who to watch: Facing off against his former teammates for the first time as a Tiger, enigmatic centre Joseph Leilua will have a point to prove on Saturday evening. Spending four-and-a-half years in the nation's capital before taking up the chance to secure a longer-term deal with the joint venture, the 28-year-old Samoan powerhouse has yet to reach the height of his powers under Michael Maguire. Claiming multiple Dally M Centre of the Year awards during his time at Canberra, look for Leilua to cause plenty of havoc under Michael Maguire as part of a destructive right edge alongside his younger brother, Luciano, and prolific try-scorer David Nofoaluma.
Starting last season as a depth forward before finishing as a member of the beaten grand final team, Raiders prop Emre Guler has been a solid performer for Ricky Stuart over the first four rounds. Almost doubling his work rate to over 100 metres per game in 2020, the 22-year-old Mascot Jets junior will be eager to continue his impressive form and push for a starting berth alongside Josh Papalii. Contracted to the club until the end of next season, look for Guler to bring plenty of aggression off the bench as the Raiders strive to bounce back from the disappointment of last week.
The favourite: Having been humbled by a much-improved Newcastle outfit last Sunday, the Raiders are expected to bounce back against their inconsistent opponents.
My tip: With both teams eager to make amends for substandard performances six days earlier, the defensive steel that saw the Raiders touted as pre-season favourites should give the visitors the edge on Saturday evening. Raiders by 10.
