Dragons v Raiders preview

Embed from Getty Images

St George Illawarra Dragons v Canberra Raiders Saturday 5:30pm at WIN Stadium, Wollongong / Dharawal

St George Illawarra Dragons and Canberra Raiders will meet for the 41st time on Saturday night, with Canberra holding a commanding edge in the head-to-head battle, having won 26 of their 40 encounters since 1999.

The Raiders have had the wood over the Red V in recent years, winning the last two clashes, and interestingly, the Dragons scored the same number of points in each of those losses. While the Dragons are languishing in 12th and looking for a late-season spark, Canberra are flying high at the top of the table, chasing a historic winning streak that hasn't been seen since their 1995 campaign.

This game holds significant weight for the Green Machine as they eye a tenth straight win - just two shy of equalling their longest-ever run of victories. Meanwhile, the Dragons are reeling from a four-game losing streak and struggling to hold their ground against top-tier opposition, having won just one of five games against top four teams this season. Adding to the challenge, they've only won two of their past five games at WIN Stadium. But with the Wollongong faithful behind them, there's always hope for a Red V resurgence under lights on a Saturday night.

St George Illawarra showed plenty of fight in last week's 38-32 loss to the Cowboys in Townsville. Despite dominating possession and boasting a 91% completion rate, they couldn't convert that dominance into a win. Jacob Liddle's second-half double sparked hope of a comeback, and Kyle Flanagan impressed with some desperate defence, but the Dragons were ultimately undone by a flurry of late tries and a reshuffled backline after Corey Allan's HIA. This week, Jaydn Su'A is out with a knee injury, Michael Molo shifts to the second row, and Emre Guler comes into the starting side. Watch for Gerringong product Hayden Buchanan, who's been named among the reserves for the first time.

Canberra come into this one brimming with confidence after a 44-18 dismantling of their opposition last round. Their ninth win on the trot was built on slick ball movement, quick hands, and clinical execution. Kaeo Weekes opened the scoring in the opening ten minutes, and although the scores were locked at halftime, the second half was one-way traffic. Matt Timoko crossed twice as the Green Machine cruised to another statement win, maintaining 55% possession and a strong 85% completion rate. Ricky Stuart has opted for consistency with no major changes to a side that looks increasingly like premiership contenders with every passing week. However, Seb Kris returns to the starting side after passing concussion protocols.

Last meeting: Round 18 2025 - Raiders 28 Dragons 24

Who to watch: Tyrell Sloan continues to be one of the Dragons' most dangerous attacking weapons, with six tries in his last four appearances. If the Red V are to threaten the ladder leaders, Sloan's speed and finishing ability will be crucial.

For the Raiders, centre Matt Timoko is in career-best form and added another two tries last weekend. His power running and ability to find space on the edges will pose a serious problem for the Dragons' defensive line.

Favourite: The Canberra Raiders are the definite favourites going into this one!

My tip: Canberra are simply red hot right now and look like a team with their eyes on the prize. The Dragons will be competitive at home, but the class and cohesion of the Raiders should shine through. Raiders by 16.

1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Tyrell Sloan 3. Moses Suli 4. Mathew Feagai 5. Corey Allan 6. Lyhkan King-Togia 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Emre Guler 9. Damien Cook 10. David Klemmer 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Michael Molo 13. Jack de Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Hamish Stewart 16. Hame Sele 17. Blake Lawrie 18. Jacob Halangahu 19. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga 20. Lachlan Ilias 21. Hayden Buchanan 22. Ben Murdoch-Masila

1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Jed Stuart 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali'i 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Zac Hosking 13. Corey Horsburgh 14. Owen Pattie 15. Simi Sasagi 16. Morgan Smithies 17. Ata Mariota 18. Danny Levi 19. Manaia Waitere 20. Noah Martin 21. Trey Mooney 22. Ethan Sanders

Referees: Todd Smith; Sideline Officials: Belinda Sharpe, David Munro; Video Referees: Adam Gee;