Round 6: Raiders v Titans preview
Andy casts his eye over this weekend's meeting between the Canberra Raiders and the Gold Coast Titans.
Titans seek form against a Raiders side on the hunt
It's unlikely to be a friendly welcome for the visiting Gold Coast Titans in Canberra this Sunday; with the Raiders finding form last round, Des Hasler's challenge to find his team a win will seem even harder.
Raiders Coach Ricky Stuart finally gave praise to his team after a solid effort in round 5 saw them chop up the Eels 41-8. It was an effort that Stuart knew his team was capable of. The Raiders played an expansive game last round, with Matthew Timoko having a standout game, showing off his speed and agility.
Stuart also singled out the work of winger Xavier Savage, saying his efforts last round were what he had finally been waiting for from the gun back. The team was under pressure to bounce back from a dismal loss in round 4, and they answered Ricky with a resounding win and team effort.
The game came at a cost for the Raiders this round, losing Jordan Rapana to a knee injury and Corey Horsburgh with groin problems. The Raiders will debut Chevy Stewart in full back, and the team will welcome back Zac Hosking from concussion protocols.
Des Hasler will be looking to his potent attack weapons of David Fifita, Jayden Campbell, and AJ Brimson to make a competition of Sunday's game, but the attack may not be the problem. The Titans are averaging 28 points a game being put on them. Hasler has pointed out that the team are allowing the opposition to access field position too easily. And that even when they were putting some pressure on the North Queensland Cowboys last round, they failed to pull the trigger on the gun to make a contest. It's still a testing period for Hasler and the Titans, but if there's a time to show your team can handle the middle of the park, it will be against the mobile, solid and hungry pack of the Raiders.
Despite an ankle injury last round, Titans captain Kieran Foran will run out to take charge. Issac Liu will also make a return, with Joe Simpson pushed back to reserves.
Last meeting: Round 18 2023 - Raiders 26 Titans 22
Who to watch: The Raiders' outside backs had a field day last round. Matthew Timoko played at a scintillating pace and carved the Eels up like a Sunday roast, with Xavier Savage adding the gravy. Ricky Stuart, who was tight-lipped on players' praise last round, couldn't speak highly enough of his team and pointed out that what we all saw on Sunday was a taste of the player Savage will be. Watch for these two to star again in what will likely be an open field for them to operate in and draw a mighty Viking clap from the home crowd. These backs will no doubt thrive under the high ball of Jamal Fogarty, who was back to his best with both a short and long kicking game.
Zac Hosking is all but biting at the bit to return to a forward pack that oozes dominance. With the big boppers of Josh Papalii and Joseph Tapine laying a solid middle, the likes of Hudson Young and Hosking will follow up to cause chaos with offloads and attract more opposition to open up cracks in defence. Morgan Smithies is showing he is quite the workhorse and adds an unrelenting presence to the formidable forward pack of the Raiders.
Jayden Campbell showed plenty of fight last round, and the team will lift if he starts to make the inroads he is capable of doing. If Campbell can inspire effort from Brimson and Fifita, then the Titans are in with a chance. But they will only be competitive if they can match a battle in the middle. Moeaki Fotuaika will be one to watch for a big game, as the Maroons player will hopefully ignite his forwards to get competitive and give his attacking players a chance to keep up on the scoreboard.
Favourite: Canberra all the way. The Titans have yet to prove to anyone that they are a threat of any kind in this competition.
My tip: It's going to get ugly for Des Hasler and his Titans. The resolve that Ricky Stuart got out of his players from a loss to give a top team like the Eels a shellacking can only mean the Titans are in for a rough night. They will be exposed on the edges and in the middle by a ravenous Raiders team in hunting mode. Canberra by 18.
