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The Canberra Raiders are in the top eight after a 26-point win over the Warriors in what was a poor defensive effort from the New Zealand side.
REPORT: RAIDERS TAKE BIG WIN OVER WARRIORS
Final score
New Zealand Warriors 12
Canberra Raiders 38
It’s a battle for positioning on the ladder when the New Zealand Warriors take a home game to Yarrow Park in New Plymouth for a clash against the Canberra Raiders. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:30pm (AEST).
The Warriors might have been technically away from home last weekend, but played in New Zealand anyway as the Penrith Panthers shifted a game to Christchurch.
In very tough conditions, with a massive wind howling across the ground, the Panthers would pull out a 12-point win, continuing the Warriors’ inconsistent season.
Of course, before the Representative Round the Warriors had beaten the St George Illawarra Dragons despite being massively under-strength with six players stood down due to discipline reasons, along with Tuimoala Lolohea and Thomas Leulali out through injury.
The week before that their defence looked like that of a schoolboy’s team as they leaked 42 points against the Melbourne Storm with some of the softest tries you are ever going to see.
All of that has left them sitting a lowly 13th place on the ladder, yet with four victories from their 10 games and only two points out of the top eight.
The Raiders, like their opponents in this match, have been inconsistent this season, barely able to string together 80 minutes of football let alone a few games in a row.
They come into this match on the back of a four-point loss at the hands of the Dragons which was their second straight defeat – their last win, which came in Round 8, was a 60 points to 6 drubbing of the Wests Tigers.
In team news, the Warriors will be without Solomone Kata and Charlie Gubb with Simon Mannering back to lock and John Palavi on the bench. The other players to return are Sam Lisone and Toafofoa Sipley.
The Raiders lose Shaun Fensom with Luke Bateman playing from lock and all of Jeff Lima, Sam Williams and Frank Paul Nuuausala added to a six-man bench.
There is no question that either of these teams can put points up in a hurry with attacking prowess right across the park. However, this match could come down to which forward pack dominates and makes things easier for the creative players.
You can have all the talent running around in the backline, but if they are constantly being forced to work out of their own half then there isn’t much they can do. Furthermore, sustained pressure on what are typically weak defensive lines could lead to a mountain of points in a short space of time.
Prediction
It’s going to be a high-scoring game with defence not a priority for either team – with that being the case I expect Shaun Johnson to run riot.
Warriors by 12.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this clash from 5:30pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde