Having narrowly failed to topple reigning premiers the Sydney Roosters at home last week, the Canberra Raiders will this Saturday night face one of league’s toughest tasks – the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park in the battle of the competition’s two best defences.
In front of their biggest home crowd for nearly a decade, the Raiders took a 12-6 lead against the Chooks in the first half before conceding 16 unanswered points to fall behind 22-12 midway through the second.
After Elliott Whitehead scored to make it 18-22, the Raiders did all they could to try to overhaul the reigning premiers, but ended up falling short by just four, surrendering the two competition points to the Roosters at home for the first time since 2010 in the process.
It was also not the way Jarrod Croker would’ve wanted to celebrate his 250th game, but had the Raiders found a late try, they would’ve repeated what they did in 2013 when they came from 16-0 down to win 24-22 in what was Croker’s 100th match.
Despite the defeat, the Raiders lost no friends in defeat and they still remain third on the ladder by virtue of having a far superior points differential than the South Sydney Rabbitohs (+153 to +83).
The 300 points they have conceded is second only to the Storm, who have conceded 52 points fewer. Not only that, the 529 points Craig Bellamy’s side have scored is ten points more than what the Roosters have scored (519).
(AAP Image/Darren England)
This means that Saturday night’s contest between the Storm and Raiders will be a battle of the two best defences in the competition, and for Ricky Stuart’s side, it will be another test of their premiership credentials, less than a month from the finals kicking off.
While the Raiders went down fighting at home, the Storm went on their business as usual last Sunday, fending off the Rabbitohs to win 26-16 and maintain their comfortable buffer at the top of the ladder.
The two Camerons – 404-gamer Smith and Maroons stand-off Munster – were both instrumental in the win over the Bunnies, with the latter scoring a try with 20 minutes to go and the duo combining for Brodie Croft to bag the winner in the dying minutes.
When the Storm and Raiders converge onto AAMI Park this Saturday night, it will be nearly five months since the teams’ most recent meeting, in which the Green Machine suffered their heaviest defeat this season (though only by 12 points) at home in Round 2.
It will also be just over three years since Ricky Stuart last stole the points from his ex-Raiders team-mate Craig Bellamy, when the Raiders won by 22-8 in the Victorian capital late in the 2016 season.
Overall, the Storm have an imposing record against the Raiders, winning 31 of 42 contests, including the last five in succession.
Only the Brisbane Broncos have suffered more defeats against the Storm, with the northerners going down 33 times in 47 matches, most recently earlier this month when they lost by 40-4 at Suncorp Stadium.
Thus, for the second week in a row, the Raiders are going to have their work cut out for them if they are to prove that they are genuine premiership contenders in 2019, and facing the Storm at their AAMI Park fortress will be a challenge the Green Machine will embrace.
Taree Raider
Guest
The Raiders don't have a 'world class half' yet. That is happening next year. The only way the Raiders will beat the Storm is to speed up the ruck in attack. That won't happen because they Storm will wrestle & choke the life out of them, in any illegal way possible. You can't counter that, but the Referee's can. I defence the Raiders have to thump the Storm. Simple as that. In attack, second phase play by continually offloading the ball so that the Storm defence can't suffocate them is the only path of victory. If we get on a roll & hit the lead the Storm don't cope. But if the Ref's ignore the spoiling Storm tactics, we will loose. The other way that the Storm don't win is if Cameron Smith is either not playing or if you target him so that his 36 year old body breaks down. How's this for an idea? From the start, in attack for the first 6 sets, run the ball at Smith, let him wrestle the stuffing out of you but next play run the ball at him again, for the whole set. Every play. It would be a lot like State of Origin intensity to SMITH, you know what he can't hack it. That's why he retired from it. (One of the reasons anyway). I'm looking forward to this match, because there is a chance the Raiders can win, if they don't they will learn from the experience. I don't mind, I can't wait until the new halfback arrives. That's what the Raiders have lacked since Ricky played.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Nah, we'll keep our powder dry. IN 2016, we easily beat both Melbourne and Cronulla, then lost to them in the finals shortly thereafter. So a different tactic this time 'round.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Those Pommie Burgles are pretty good too.Make sure you lock up your valuables when your at the game.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
The Raiders are just as good (bad - depending on your point of view) at slowing down the play the ball. That is in large part why they are conceding fewer points this year.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
‘Raiders win games with quick ptb and fast movement’. Which was the last team to be allowed to play the ball in under a minute against the Storm.?
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
The Raiders really need to make a statement here. I was pretty confident they could beat the Roosters last week given their good recent form and almost being at full strength - so to come up short was disappointing. People have rightly pointed to their lack of success against the top 5 this season but the winning margin has been one converted try or less in 4 of those losses. This game is very important leading into the finals.
DNZ
Guest
Agreed Paul. the Raiders are lacking a great half to take the reins when they struggle to create space. I'd love to see them beat the Storm but I don't think they have it in them just yet. The Storm (and Roosters) have all the elements for success while the Raiders are a side that are almost there. The gap between those two and the rest is quite significant.
Paul
Roar Guru
While the scoreboard indicated a close game, I'm not sure it was last week, Avatar. Canberra had a sizeable possession advantage but struggle to get across the line and, as the commentators pointed out, scored all of their points after receiving a penalty. Easts seemed to me to be able to make metres at will up the middle, which must be a concern leading into the finals. You're right, this is a huge game for the Raiders, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they get a score put on them, because Melbourne, on it's day, can do that to just about any side in the comp.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Raiders probably are the third best team in the comp, but they have to win this to have any chance of winning the comp. 0-5 against the top 5 and really lacking any sort of statement win this season. The closest thing is probably the wy the put the Warriors away a couple of weeks ago. Raiders win games with quick play the ball and fast movement up the middle with offloads while if the Storm have a defensive weakness it is out wide and the Raiders don't move the ball well - I can't see them getting their way against the Storm pack who are so strong.
Peter Piper
Guest
"Canberra out to raid AAMI Park on Saturday night" As long as they don't forget to bring the 2019 minor premiership to the match it will be fine. Go Storm