Round 19: Raiders v Warriors preview
Ricky's Raiders fight for finals footy heats up
Saturday afternoon sees the Canberra Raiders host the New Zealand Warriors in what could be a crucial match in deciding the final few top eight spots. With the Raiders sitting in 10th position, and just one win outside of the finals spots, they will be hopeful of forcing their way back into the finals series after an absence last season. The Warriors, despite being only two spots behind Canberra in 12th, are all but out of the finals charge, with four wins separating them from the 8th placed Sea Eagles.
The Canberra Raiders are coming off a very important away win against Melbourne last Sunday. Winning by four points in a game that went down to the wire, the fact that Canberra were able to close out the match will be encouraging to both their players and fans. Having struggled to play a full 80 minutes of football so far this season, their trip to Melbourne showed encouraging signs on that front.
Raiders fans have been having a nerve-wracking past month or so, with all of Canberra's last five games being decided by six points or less. Furthermore, two of their last three games have been decided by just two points. As such, expect another close one this Saturday, but in a finals race that will likely come down to for and against, every point counts for both sides, and the Raiders will be hoping to improve their current points difference of -37.
Nick Cotric makes his return from injury for the Raiders, replacing the suspended Jordan Rapana. An ankle injury to James Schiller on the other wing opens up a spot for Albert Hopoate. But the biggest in for the Raiders is that of their captain Elliott Whitehead, who will start in the back row after missing last week.
The New Zealand Warriors returned home to their fans in Auckland at the start of a month, where they recorded a resounding victory over a dismal Wests Tigers. They then had the bye, and thus the week off, and arriving at Parramatta to face the Eels last weekend there seemed to be a certain air around the team that their arrival home could signal a change in fortunes for the club.
But it was not to be. A fast starting Eels team got a comfortable lead early on through a Waqa Blake double, and from there the Warriors never looked like winning. If the Warriors had any hope of playing finals football this year, the team and the club needed to keep the momentum gained from their emotional homecoming. Momentum that seems all but lost following their ten point defeat to the Eels last Friday.
That being said, anything can happen in the NRL. With just seven games left in the season, the Warriors would need a miracle to make the eight. But as long as there is still hope, even if it's just mathematical, the Warriors, who have gone through so much hardship during the past few years, will be fighting for every point. They will be desperate to find a way to win down in Canberra this Saturday.
In big team news released on Tuesday afternoon, Reece Walsh has been dropped to the bench by Warriors interim coach Stacey Jones. The young fullback will have the number 14 on his back this weekend, with Chanel Harris-Tavita shifting to the starting fullback role. Cowboys recruit Daejarn Asi will start in the halves alongside Shaun Johnson, and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak returns on the wing.
The last time these two teams met it came down to a Shaun Johnson field goal in golden point. Canberra will need to be in on their game to avoid another upset loss like what happened back in round 8. The Warriors will be hopeful of beating the Raiders for a second time this year, something they haven't done since 2018.
Last meeting: Round 8 2022 - Warriors 21 Raiders 20
Who to watch: Following the early season injury to Raiders hooker Josh Hodgson, it seemed almost set in stone that Tom Starling would have the starting number nine duties for the rest of the season. But this weekend he will come off the bench for the 11th straight game, with Ricky Stuart opting for young Zac Woolford yet again. The two are fighting for that dominant hooker role, and are joined in that fight by utility Matt Frawley and even 21 year old Adrian Trevilyan. With the season winding down, every player will want as many minutes as possible, and the performances of the two hookers included in this Raiders side will be crucial to not just their teams chances this weekend, but also their careers going forward.
Daejarn Asi has been named to play just his 5th NRL game of the season this weekend, placed in the five-eighth role over rookie half Ronald Volkman. Having started the season at the North Queensland reserve grade side Mackay Cutters, he made a mid-season move to the Warriors. Making his club debut in their win against Canberra back in round 8, he played a further three more NRL fixtures before being moved back to the Warriors reserve grade side, the Redcliffe Dolphins. He will be eager to prove this weekend that he deserves a spot in the first grade side going forward.
The favourite: The Canberra Raiders are the strong favourites to get the win at home this Saturday afternoon.
My tip: Coming off a win against Melbourne, the Raiders will be full of confidence, and rightly so. Raiders by 20.
