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New Zealand Warriors
20
Match Complete
Canberra Raiders
20
| 79 |  | J. Wighton | ||
| 79 |  | J. Croker | ||
| 78 | | E. Whitehead | ||
| 63 | | J. Rapana | ||
| S. Johnson |  | 55 | ||
| D. Watene-Zelezniak | | 48 | ||
| S. Johnson | | 40 | ||
| C. Nicoll-Klokstad | | 38 | ||
| S. Johnson | | 27 | ||
| 19 | | J. Croker | ||
| 18 | | H. Young | ||
| S. Johnson | | 5 | ||
| M. Niukore | | 3 |
| 3 | Tries | 4 | ||
| 2 | Conversions | 2 | ||
| 2 | Penalty Goals | 0 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
Show Preview
Round 21 of the NRL premiership continues tonight when the Warriors take on the Canberra Raiders at GO Media Stadium in Auckland. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 6pm (AEST).
The Warriors’ impressive 44-12 demolition of Cronulla last weekend propelled them ahead of the Sharks and to brink of the top four, a realm they haven’t finished in since 2007. Win tonight and they’ll be up to third, at least temporarily. Win big and they’re virtually guaranteed at least fourth place come Sunday night.
With a favourable draw coming up over the final six weeks of the regular season, a win tonight and maintaining their impressive form for most of the rest of the season would surely see the Warriors book a home final in early September. Heady days indeed in Auckland.
The Raiders currently hold fourth place and have somehow achieved that lofty status despite a negative points differential, and not a small one either – they’re at minus-55, with next worst differential belonging to the 13th-placed Dolphins. Strange days indeed in Canberra.
Plenty of teams have made the finals with a negative differential, including the 2002 Raiders at minus-170, but they generally scrape into seventh or eighth and don’t last much longer. Only one team in the NRL era has made the top four with a negative differential – the 2007 Cowboys who managed to finish third at minus-71.
Those Cowboys were a very good team who suffered a cluster of heavy defeats around the Origin period. This Raiders team are a turducken of mystery, riddle and enigma. Twice this season they’ve been thrashed at home (Penrith and Manly), only to win away to one of the league leaders the following week (Brisbane and Souths respectively). They win unlikely victories and nearly throw away unassailable leads against strugglers.
The Raiders were also soundly beaten at home by the Warriors in early June, so they won’t trouble the red-hot home team in Auckland tonight, right? Well, who knows what these Raiders might do?
In team news, Canberra has Corey Horsburgh back from representative duties and Josh Papali’i back from injury. The Warriors have also been strengthened with the return of hard-running duo Bunty Afoa and Marata Niukore from concussion and suspension respectively.
While Canberra may be capable of just about anything, they’re going to need to contain the Warriors’ potent attack, and a few better defensive teams haven’t been able to do that lately.
If the Raiders can keep the game tight and frustrate the Warriors, they’re a chance. If the Warriors break them early, they’ll win comfortably. The latter scenario is more likely. Warriors by 22
Venue: Go Media Stadium, Auckland
Kick-off: 6pm (AEST)
TV: Fox Sports
Streaming: Kayo Sports, Foxtel
Odds: Warriors $1.40 Raiders $3 – odds via PlayUp
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Bunty Afoa 11. Jackson Ford 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 15. Mitchell Barnett 16. Tom Ale 17. Freddy Lussick 18. Bayley Sironen 20. Josh Curran 21. Ronald Volkman 22. Taine Tuaupiki 23. Viliami Vailea
Raiders: 1. Seb Kris 2. Albert Hopoate 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Matthew Timoko 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Jack Wighton 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Zac Woolford 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Corey Horsburgh 14. Tom Starling 15. Emre Guler 16. Pasami Saulo 17. Ata Mariota 18. Matt Frawley 19. Nick Cotric 20. Trey Mooney 21. Hohepa Puru 22. Ethan Strange
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