Melbourne Rising vs Sydney Rays highlights: Rays win by 6

Roar Guru

8th October, 2016

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Isaac Nowroozi

Roar Guru

8th October, 2016

Both Melbourne Rising and the Sydney Rays will be eager to enter the semi-finals on the back of a win.

Coming off a 38-point loss to the Western Sydney Rams in their last match, the Rising knew that a place in the semi-finals hung in the balance coming to the final week.

However, Melbourne can now breathe a sigh of relief as losses by both the University of Canberra Vikings and the Rams yesterday means that they have secured a spot in the last four.

The Rising will be without Jack Debreczeni, who sits out due to a groin injury, however they will be boosted by the returning Colby Fainga’a.

The Sydney Rays are coming off a big win over the UC Vikings in their last match, however they will have to settle for second place on the table.

The Rays dominated the Vikings to win 58-14 in Sydney, and secure second spot.

The only match the Rays have lost all season has been against table leaders New South Wales Country Eagles, and those two sides are tipped to be the two grand finalists in 2016.

The last time these two sides faced off was in 2015. It was back-and-forth, but in the end Melbourne Rising took the 45-40 win in a highly entertaining contest.

Prediction: Rays by 10

Kick-off: 1pm AEDT
Venue: Frankston Park, Melbourne
Table position: Rising fourth, Rays second
Last meeting: Sydney Rays 40 – 45 Melbourne Rising

MELBOURNE: Cruze Ah-Nau, Pat Leafa, Tyrel Lomax, Sam Jeffries, Steve Cummins, Ikapote Tupai, Jordy Reid, Colby Fainga’a, Nic Stirzaker (c), Lloyd Johansson, Ah-mu Tuimalealiifano, Sione Tuipulotu, Tom English, Dom Shipperley, Jonah Placid.
Bench: Siliva Siliva, Tom Moloney, Tim Metcher, Alex Toolis, Rob Valetini, Keisuke Yamada, Mick Snowden, Taiso Silafai-Leaana.

SYDNEY: Ezra Luxton, James Hilterbrand, Angus Ta’avao, Connor Vest, James Brown, Jack Dempsey, Chris Alcock, Michael Wells, Dewet Roos, Sam Lane/Angus Sinclair, Harry Jones Irae Simone, Con Foley, Lochie Creagh, Josh Turner/Jonathan Malo.
Bench: Damien Fitzpatrick, Rory O’Connor, Lawrance Hunting, Angus Ryan, Michael Smith/Harry Bergelin, Matt Lucas, Angus Sinclair/Sam Lane, Josh Turner/Jonathan Malo.

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