Round 23: Raiders v Wests Tigers preview
After two losses in a row, the Canberra Raiders will be aiming to return to their winning ways when they host the last-placed Wests Tigers at GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The fifth placed Raiders have shot up the competition ladder after losing four of their opening five games. Since, they've won 10 of 14, including a run of five straight wins back in April and May. However, their losses to the Warriors and Newcastle over the last two weeks have left them in a perilous position as only three points separates the Raiders in fifth and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 10th.
Now comes their best opportunity to return to their winning ways, and in the process, establish themselves as a top eight side with five weeks left in the competition. Their opponents, the Tigers, haven't won since their 48-point victory over the North Queensland Cowboys in Round 12, and have lost their last eight matches.
They've come close over the past two weeks, but in the end, they couldn't do enough to walk away with the two points against St. George and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The joint venture welcomed Luke Brooks back into the fold last week, after missing multiple weeks with a hamstring injury, and looked a much better outfit than they previously had.
As they field a near full strength team, they may give the Raiders a run for their money (like they did in Round 14), as the combination of Brooks, Api Koroisau and Jahream Bula grows stronger with each appearance. However, their defence will need some improving if they're to walk away with the two points this weekend.
The Tigers haven't conceded less than 20 points since their victory over the Cowboys and have conceded 30 or more in four of their last five outings, which included a whopping 74 points in the Cowboys return fixture.
Given the Raiders are an attacking force at their best, it leaves the chances of a Tigers victory looking slim. After scoring a mere six points against the Knights, the Raiders will be looking to pore on the points against a struggling Tigers side on Sunday.
A win for the Raiders would come at a crucial time, as they face Melbourne and Brisbane during the run home, fixtures that may be difficult to win, so they'll have to grab any victory that they can if they want to remain in the top eight.
In team news, the Raiders have made a few changes. Jordan Rapana has been named at fullback, pushing Seb Kris into the centres and Nick Cotric returns on the wing as Jarrod Croker is left out of the side. Adrian Trevilyan comes onto the bench at the expense of Tom Starling. For the Tigers, Stefano Utoikamanu and Shawn Blore are out with concussion, Alex Twal starts at prop, as a result, Justin Matamua and Asu Kepaoa have been added to the bench. In their last change, Will Smith has been dropped from the bench for Jake Simpkin.
Last meeting: Round 14 2023 - Wests Tigers 19 Raiders 20
Who to watch: For the Raiders, the players to keep an eye on are stalwarts of the club. Firstly, Jack Wighton, in his final year at the club, has been dangerous in attack. The five-eighth has scored seven tries, his highest tally since 2020 and has run for over 100 metres in five of his last six appearances. He had a relatively quiet night against the Tigers earlier in the year, but with so much to play for, he'll be up for the fight. Secondly, his prop forward, Joseph Tapine has continued his electric form that began last season. The 29-year-old is averaging 161 run metres per game in 2023 and is a workhorse in defence, regularly making upwards of 30 tackles a night. He comes up against Stefano Utoikamanu and David Klemmer on Sunday, which will be a fantastic battle to witness.
For the Tigers, skipper Api Koroisau has arguably been their best player this season, and if not, their most impactful. The 30-year-old has scored five tries in 16 appearances this year, and has assisted a further five as he tried is hardest to improve the Tigers chances of victory each week. The dummy-half was exceptional against the Rabbitohs last week, scoring and assisting a try as well as making 47 tackles. Each week, Koroisau's combination with Jahream Bula improves ten-fold, as the 21-year-old fullback finds his feet in his first season of NRL football. Since debuting against Manly in Round 8, Bula has been a mainstay at fullback, showing an immense talent and skillset that should benefit the Tigers for years to come. In his rookie season, the fullback has scored five tries in 13 games, assisted a further four, broken 51 tackles and averaged 170 run metres per game. A pretty nice return for a rookie in the NRL.
Favourite: Given their ladder position and their superior form compared to the Tigers in 2023, the Raiders enter Sunday afternoon's contest as the favourites. The Raiders have a sort of curse over the Tigers, having won their last six matches against the joint-venture, which extends to 10 wins from their last 11 meetings. The Raiders love scoring points against the Tigers, surpassing 46 points in four of those 11 matches
My tip: Expect the Tigers to be competitive, as they were in Round 14, though, the Raiders should be too strong for them, and a win may be crucial to their final standing within the top eight. Raiders by 8.
