Roar Guru
Sydney’s west gets another taste of NRL action as the ninth-placed Wests Tigers take on a Canberra Raiders side desperate to reignite their season. Join us for live scores and commentary from 5.30pm AEST.
The Tigers have been something of a bogey side for the Canberra Raiders in recent years, and will be out to defend that proud record when they take on the boys from the capital on Saturday.
Refreshed from the bye, Michael Potter’s men will add Origin players Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods to the side that went down against the Rabbitohs a fortnight ago. As a result of the reshuffle Martin Taupau drops to the bench, while Dene Halatau and Joel Luani have both been omitted from the squad.
The Tigers are still in contention for a finals berth, with what is one of the younger rosters in the NRL. Media reports suggest that coach Potter will be rewarded with a contract extension in coming weeks, a move which will give the Tigers more stability in the football department after a testing few seasons.
The Raiders celebrated part of their history last week with the 20th anniversary of the club’s 1994 premiership victory over the Bulldogs.
Coach Ricky Stuart has made three changes to the side that went down 22-14 last start. Anthony Milford will line-up at fullback for the Green Machine after starting on the bench against the Dogs, exciting young forward Paul Vaughan comes onto the bench, while Reece Robinson drops out of the side.
One of the most intriguing battles of this match will be the reception Tigers fullback James Tedesco gets from the Raiders.
The youngster was involved in a messy dispute with the Raiders for his services when he opted to stay with the Tigers earlier this season, and his first few kick returns will be interesting as the Raiders have some big boppers in their forward pack.
Boosted by the inclusion of their representative players, and aided with a parochial crowd at Campbelltown, the Tigers look to be too strong for a Canberra side struggling to capture their best form.
Join us for live scores and commentary from 5.30pm AEST.