The Melbourne Storm have picked up a six-point victory over the Canberra Raiders, but it came at a cost with both Billy Slater and Cameron Smith going off injured.
Final score
Canberra Raiders 14
Melbourne Storm 20
The Canberra Raiders will look to move into a top eight spot when they host competition leaders the Melbourne Storm. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary of the match from 5:30pm (AEST).
The once flashy and dangerous Raiders have looked like a shadow of their former selves in previous weeks. With one win in five coming into this match against the Storm, the Canberra outfit are low on confidence and struggling to secure crucial competition points.
The Raiders, while looking decent in attack have let themselves down in their defence, conceding more than 20 points in their recent games. Despite scoring a fair amount of points in their last few games the Raiders are clearly not as good as they can be, and they need to be better for the late season run in if they are to finish inside the top eight
However, Canberra can enter this match with some confidence after beating the Dragons 18-14 last weekend. Additionally, the Raiders seem to lift their game against the Storm in recent years, suggesting that we could see a greatly improved Canberra outfit this weekend.
The Storm have some familiar faces back in their line-up for this clash. The likes of inspirational skipper Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Tim Glasby all return after the Origin window as they look to strike back after a 16-point loss to Parramatta last weekend.
The Storm at their best are very likely the best in the competition, and they will look to return to the winners circle against an out-of-sorts Raiders outfit this Saturday afternoon.
Prediction
The Raiders should make a game out of this encounter but with Melbourne hungry to return to the winner’s circle and their origin players being back in the squad, I can only see a Storm victory.
Storm by 14 points.
Join The Roar for live coverage from 5:30pm (AEST).
Ken
Guest
WHy are the raiders so rubbish ? I mean they had two of the greatest players off the field against them An they couldn't beat the storm , why did Rapana shoulder charge Nelson Solomona in front of Chechin an not get penalised ? Why we the two tries from the storm referred to the bunker ( oh sorry I thought you said they get given straight away ? Obviously you're lying cus they weren't ) Why id it that the so called monster raiders forward pack not punching holes thru the middle , it's cus they are soft
steveng
Roar Rookie
You have to be kidding 'Bill larkin'!!!??? What about suspending the referees when they continually make bad decisions and continually contribute to sides losing games, it works 'BOTH WAYS' but in the NRL it seems that it only works 'ONE WAY'!!!
PNGBF88
Guest
Melbourne wrestlers are adjudicated differently from the other teams below them.
Bill larkin
Guest
If whinging was an Olympic sport Stuart would win gold time after time. Fines don't work on him. It's time to suspend him for continued denigration of referees.
Ian
Guest
Why is it the Melbourne Storm can hold, flop, work players and push them off the play the ball and not get penalised and then watch a another game and watch a player hold someone down for a short period of time and get penalised. Why do Melbourne never get penalised for throwing forward passes from dummy half. There were obvious forward passes in the second half. Why are Melbourne allowed to stand offside. Why is when Melbourne Storm score a try it is given straight away and lower teams on the ladder have to endure an investigation even to the most simplest of tries. Why are Melbourne Storm refereed differently to other sides. I watch them closely every week and they are always looked after. I would expect Ricky Stewart to complain, he has played the game and coached at the highest level and would know when the refereeing is not even. I think he actually needs to take it a step further and ask questions of the NRL. It would also be helpful to all the other teams and supporters in the NRL. Every team and supporter wants an even playing field,. Also when people come on to this forum and state the obvious, it doesn't mean they are a whinging fan from another club. They may just want an even playing field.
John Harvey
Guest
Boots and All Slater slipped as otherwise it would have been the usual garden variety latish tackle - Just because it was Slater doesn't mean that Soliolo should have the book thrown at him though - Boots and All Slater is no clean skin and neither are his Storm mates in terms of what they call foul play but get away with it. Archie Bunker should keep strum too as saying it should have been a send off offence surely must influence the Judiciary
Jon
Roar Rookie
Is the option in the case of incidents like Sia and Paps last week only to send them off for the rest of the game? Can't they bin them for 10?
sham
Guest
Ricky was very frustrated with the officials and I can understand why. The Storm were offside and were not penalized several times and they wrestled the hell out of the Raiders but to be honest I see through that as the Storm do it every week. I don't blame them - they do it so well. It is very hard to get a quick play the ball against the Storm - they deliberately hold players down for long periods when they are defending in their own 30 but to be fair they are not the only team that does it - they are just the best at it. If this is the sort of game the NRL wants then fine. All teams should just hold players down for lengthy periods in their own 30 and wrestle the hell out of them. And you know what the best teams do. That is what the NRL is this year. If you are not good at it then you won't do well. No one gets sent to the bin and the Storm win yet again. Oh II forgot Munster got sent to the bin with a minute to go when it counted for zilch. The Raiders have not had a good year but I did think that they played well tonight. Even with Slater and Smith off the Raiders had no Origin players while the Storm had three.
Duncan Smith
Guest
Ricky Stuart Press conference - "We wuz robbed!" What about Soliola not getting sent off for the late stiff arm on Slater's head? What about all the penalties going Canberra's way in the first half? Hey Ricky, maybe Ashley Klein was refereeing tonight. Yes, your season was on the line tonight, but that's because of all the games you lost earlier in the year. Don't blame Melbourne!
Duncan Smith
Guest
That was a send off - no question. A joke.
doogs
Guest
yes you are right. I will call you harsh
doogs
Guest
I agree with you. Ricky has been good of late in his press conferences but he was back to his whinging best. His attitude reflects in Croker and Austin who constantly blow up about decisions even when clearly correct. Like you, I really like the Raiders and love when they are on song. I felt they were lucky to finish with 13 players. The tackle on Slater was ordinary. The last pass in their second try looked forward. Funny how Ricky left these out. I think a lot of us Aussies have become incredibly self-entitled. If everything does not go our way, we have a massive whinge. Tim is a nice enough guy but I do expect an article on how they were robbed
R N
Roar Rookie
Slater headbutted his forearm...!
Swannies
Guest
Storm ran out deserved winners but were made to earn it. Better luck next year for Canberra...finals looks beyond them now.
Doc79
Roar Rookie
Was at the game- refs and the assistants were woeful- hence the loss of control of the game. Selective application of running people off the kicked ball is a major issue. The wrestle on the ground and the ten metres also- Cameron Smith was constantly in front in the one half he played. These are things that also happened in the game not just the hit on Slater. That happened right in front of us. Super slow mo does no favours but Slater being so crafty and quick, if he dummies and Sia doesn't commit to him he'd be apologising to his teammates for letting in a soft try. This is not a game for the faint hearted. Slater has courage in spades and I'm sure he's aware that running and playing the ball that close to the defensive line has a downside. Many players in the second half were having trouble with their footing as the pitch took on dew.
Adam
Guest
Yeah it was a grub act. Far out there's a horrible culture at the raiders. Just listened to their press conference and all he did was whine about the referees, claimed the Raiders played a solid 80 mins and deserved to win. I live in Canberra and really want to support them but jeez their attitude absolutely stinks. Can't wait for the tim gore article this week telling us the raiders were robbed
Alex L
Roar Rookie
With the minor problem that the hit came a significant period of time after Slater had passed the ball. It was an absolute grub act.
Ian
Guest
Its pretty clear refs consider intentional foul play to be the requirement for a send off. But even then I wouldn't be sure they'd do it
Emcie
Roar Guru
...mate, that's just sad
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Why on earth was Oldfield picked to play on the bench for the Raiders? A total of zero minutes. Ricky - please explain. If Stuart hooked Wighton after his usual stupid costly blunders and replaced him at FB with Rapana or Cotric and put Oldfield on the wing I could understand. Why have someone on the bench and not use them? And just saw a replay of Soliola's hit on Slater. Didn't look good.