Round 24: Warriors v Canberra preview
Warriors and Raiders set to lock horns as jostling for finals positions continues.
What a great sight it was last weekend to see some footy back on suburban grounds with fans in regional Queensland seeing some entertaining matches at Rockhampton and Toowoomba.
On Friday evening, the people of Mackay get their chance to dial into the action and witness a contest between New Zealand and Canberra in a vital match up to the finals equation.
The Raiders sit equal eighth on the ladder but tenth on percentages so realistically need to find a win here to keep themselves firmly in contention after back to back losses at the hands of premiership heavyweights Melbourne and Manly over the past fortnight despite pushing their more fancied opposition in both contests.
Coach Ricky Stuart will no doubt be drumming home the importance of an eighty-minute performance against the Warriors after the green machine gave up a 21-point halftime advantage in their round three encounter this year in what was one of the games of the season.
The Warriors sit just one spot below the Raiders on the ladder but importantly two points behind them making their task of playing finals more unlikely with Nathan Brown's men needing to win both their remaining games and needing results to fall their way.
Still whilst there's life there's hope and it wouldn't be the first time they've performed with their backs to the wall. Seemingly out of contention a little over a month ago, they surged back into the conversation on the back of three straight victories before going down in a nail biter to the Broncos last Sunday.
In team news, the Warriors have named Sean O'Sullivan at pivot in place of Chanel Harris-Tevita where he will partner Chad Townsend in the halves.
Wayde Egan moves back into the starting number nine after coming off the interchange last week with Kodi Nikorima returning as bench utility and Matt Lodge returns from suspension to again form a formidable looking front-row partnership with Addin Fonua-Blake.
For the Raiders, Stuart has made a big change in his old playing position handing the reigns of the team to Matt Frawley who replaces Sam Williams in the number seven.
Corey Horsburgh returns from his two-week stint at the Bulldogs as a loan player, joined as one of two fresh faces on the interchange along with Siliva Havili.
Last meeting: Round 3 2021 - Raiders 31 Warriors 34
Who to watch: Tongan International Addin Fonua Blake has been in imposing form since returning from a ten-week injury layoff earlier in the year to cement his standing as one of the premier big men in the game. Running for 200 plus metres the last three weeks, the Warriors bookend has taken it upon himself to drag his team mates into the contest. His large frame and hulk like strength are a sight to be seen but it would pay to take a look at his underrated footwork before the line which invariably sees him hit the right areas to accelerate into the defensive line and eat up those all-important post contact metres.
Despite just having nine top grade games under his belt, young Raiders centre Matthew Timoko look a real player of the future. Enjoying a breakout game against the Sea Eagles last weekend, Timoko ran for 139 metres to go with an extremely impressive 11 tackle busts and set up a brilliant try with some great footwork and a flick pass setting up his wing man. The Auckland born Timoko blessed with footwork and natural strength will be out for a big one against his fellow countrymen.
The favourite: Canberra sit as firm favourites in this one.
My tip: The Raiders are deserved favourites after competing well against the Storm and Sea Eagles but there's a chance those games may have sapped some juice out of them physically. Ricky Stuart's men do love a scrap though and they should prove a touch too strong against a Warriors side who simply refuse to lay down. Canberra by 4.
