MAGIC ROUND: Canterbury v Canberra preview

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Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Canberra Raiders Saturday 3:00pm at Suncorp Stadium, Milton / Yuggera-Turrbal

Canberra meet Canterbury-Bankstown on Saturday afternoon, in a Magic Round matchup that could either thoroughly entertain the neutral Suncorp Stadium crowd, or have them flocking to the bars in anticipation of the next game.

The Bulldogs come into this match on the back of their worst performance of 2021 - no mean feat considering some of the efforts put in so far this season. Poor decision making and even worse execution brought them undone against a St George Illawarra side that spent 60 minutes trying to keep the 'Dogs in the game. 

The Green Machine have now lost five in a row themselves, coughing up a 16-0 half time lead to go down 24-16 to the Newcastle Knights in their latest outing in the NSW regional city of Wagga Wagga.

Both these teams have not covered themselves in glory in recent times, airing their dirty laundry in public - really showing up the difference between well run clubs ... and the rest.

In team news, Kyle Flanagan has been dropped (or is he injured? You decide...), after a shocker of a first half performance last week. Did he deserve to be hooked on the day? Yes he did. Is replacing him with Brandon Wakeham a move that will be good for his development, career, or the Bulldogs? Hmm.

In other moves, Nick Meaney's Leyland Brothers tour of the Canterbury backline continues, with the club's best fullback now selected in the centres, and Tui Katoa coming back onto the wing - all to replace the injured Corey Allan. Ava Seumanufagai reverts to the bench, making way for a returning Dylan Napa. Renouf Atoni starts, relegating Corey Waddell to the bench. Matt Doorey comes in for Ofahiki Ogden on the bench.

For Canberra, it's a host of injury replacements as Semi Valemei comes in for Jordan Rapana, while Hudson Young gets a start replacing Ryan Sutton. Josh Hodgson returns from injury on the bench, along with Dunamis Lui and Ryan James. Joseph Tapine (injured) and Siliva Havili (demoted) go out of the squad.

In recent years, the Raiders hold the ascendency over Canterbury having won their last four matchups against the Belmore boys, the most recent being a 34-20 win in Round 16 of the '2020 Covid Cup'.

Last meeting: Round 16 2020 - Raiders 34 Bulldogs 20

Who to watch: For Canterbury-Bankstown, well all eyes will be on Brandon Wakeham, who has had the cobwebs blown off him, and is thrown into the deep end for the first time in 2021 alongside Jake Averillo (his previous appearances coming with limited minutes). The pressure will be on these two - passing game, kicking game, decision making, all of it. This is pressure brought on by the club's own doing.

I'm keeping it in the halves with the Raiders. Jack Wighton and George Williams are both very talented footballers, and have a massive chance to play themselves back into form here. They are capable of dictating how this match pans out.

The favourite: Canberra are unbackable favourites at the time of writing.

My tip: It's honestly hard to see anything except a big Raiders win. Yes, they've lost five on the trot, but Canterbury have a knack of playing struggling teams back into form, and I'll be flying up to Brisbane to see my Bulldogs go down yet again, barring a miracle. Canberra by 20.

1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2. Nick Cotric 3. Will Hopoate 4. Nick Meaney 5. Tuipulotu Katoa 6. Brandon Wakeham 7. Jake Averillo 16. Ava Seumanufagai 9. Sione Katoa 10. Luke Thompson 11. Adam Elliott 12. Chris Smith 13. Renouf Atoni 14. Bradley Deitz 15. Corey Waddell 17. Matt Doorey 23. Ofahiki Ogden 20. Joe Stimson

1. Caleb Aekins 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Sebastian Kris 4. Curtis Scott 5. Semi Valemi 6. Jack Wighton 7. George Williams 8. Josh Papali'i 9. Tom Starling 10. Emre Guler 11. Corey Harawira-Naera 12. Elliott Whitehead 15. Dunamis Lui 13. Hudson Young 14. Josh Hodgson 16. Corey Horsburgh 17. Ryan James 19. Matthew Timoko

Referees: Chris Butler; Sideline Officials: Todd Smith, Tyson Brough; Video Referees: Matt Noyen;