Warriors v Raiders preview

Embed from Getty Images

Warriors v Canberra Raiders Friday 6:00pm at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch / Aotearoa

Kelly previews the upcoming clash between the Warriors and the Canberra Raiders.

In Round 3 of the 2024 season, the New Zealand Warriors are eager to rebound from a heartbreaking loss to the Storm in a last-minute nail-biter. Despite leading the game until the 71st minute, the Warriors could not stave off the Storm's late surge, succumbing to a second consecutive four-point loss to start the season 0 - 2. 

However, the Warriors will draw confidence from standout performances, particularly from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who notched another double, further solidifying his reputation as a try-scoring machine. As Watene-Zelezniak celebrates his 50th appearance for the club, the Warriors will be buoyed by the historic significance of their first-ever home game at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch. 

With a sold-out crowd anticipated to create an electric atmosphere, the Warriors will be determined to make a statement on their NRL debut in Christchurch, with first-choice hooker Wayde Egan returning to the side and dynamic Luke Metcalf, who will be looking to thank the club for his recent contract extension.

Meanwhile, the Canberra Raiders arrive in Round 3 riding high on the back of an impressive 32 - 12 victory over the Wests Tigers at GIO Stadium, maintaining their perfect start to the season. With a dominant display that saw them control possession and force errors, the Raiders showcased their ability to dictate the game's tempo.

As they aim to continue their winning streak, the return of Elliot Whitehead and Nick Cotric bolsters the Raiders' lineup, providing added firepower and experience. The captain's return pushes Round 2 Man of the Match Zac Hosking to the bench and sees Ata Mariota drop out of the 17. Cotric's return is timely, as Sebastian Kris has been ruled out through HIA protocols. Cotric will return to the wing, and Albert Hopoate will shift into the centre position. 

Eager to replicate their successful start to the 2020 season and end their New Zealand drought, the Raiders will be motivated to secure a victory against the Warriors on their home turf, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown between two determined sides.

Last meeting: Round 21 2023 - Warriors 21 Raiders 20

Who to watch: Classy finisher Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is playing his 50th game for the New Zealand side. The two tries he scored against the Storm lifted his try tally for the club to 39 in 49 games and 88 across all 192 games he has played. Running 151m and 196m in the first two games of the year, respectively, DWZ is a tough player to catch when he finds himself in open space and is renowned for finishing with flair. 

Raiders' young five-eighth Ethan Strange wrapped up the Round 2 game against the Wests Tigers with an impressive highlights package. Scoring his first NRL try, Strange looked like he had played many more than three games. He made his mark on the game early, having a hand in the Raiders' first two four-pointers, showing confidence to go down the short side in the lead-up to Canberra's first try before taking the line on himself for a sensational solo try soon after. 

Favourite: Given the home-ground advantage, the Warriors are the favourites to walk away with the win in Christchurch. 

My tip:  The history between the two sides is fairly even, with Canberra holding a slight advantage over the Warriors, winning 26 out of 50 games since they first met in 1995. Recent games, though, have swung the way of the New Zealand side, winning four of their last six, including both times the sides met in 2023. 

This game could go either way, with Canberra's strong start and the Warriors not finding themselves in the winners' circle yet in 2024. You can't really go past the Warriors at home, though, so my tip is the Warriors by 6.

1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 14. Freddy Lussick 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Tohu Harris 15. Tom Ale 16. Bunty Afoa 20. Jazz Tevaga 23. Chanel Harris-Tavita 22. Jacob Laban

1. Jordan Rapana 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Albert Hopoate 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali'i 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Tom Starling 15. Emre Guler 16. Zac Hosking 17. Pasami Saulo 18. James Schiller

Referees: Liam Kennedy; Sideline Officials: Chris Sutton, Paki Parkinson; Video Referees: Matt Noyen;