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From NRL.com
Raiders v Wests Tigers
Canberra Stadium
Sunday 3pmIt might be only Round 4 but the Canberra Raiders need to make a statement in this game if they are to be considered finals material in 2010.
Although the side beat the Broncos in Round 2, they had ordinary losses to Penrith and the Gold Coast either side. They need to prove they are the real deal.
Considering they are already languishing in 14th spot on the ladder and come up against a Wests Tigers unit who were brilliant in a 23-12 disposal of Parramatta last weekend, pushing them up to fifth, the challenge won’t be easy.
But thankfully for the Green Machine and their army of loyal fans, the side is much better at home and as such should be right in this contest.
Last weekend’s 24-4 loss to the Titans claimed replacement hooker Travis Waddell, who has a broken jaw; he’ll be replaced by the return of enforcer Tom Learoyd-Lahrs. Otherwise the side is the same.
For the Wests Tigers, this game represents a chance to prove they possess something they haven’t had for half a decade – consistency. The side showed plenty of ticker and razzle-dazzle in Round 1 to come from behind against Manly, but then they folded cheaply the following week to the Roosters.
Last weekend’s tough victory against the Eels was the type of performance coach Tim Sheens wants more of, and to prove it wasn’t another flash in the pan win they need to aim up in the nation’s capital.
Jason Cayless is out of the side, with Liam Fulton named to return and Junior Moors added as an 18th man at this stage.
Watch out Raiders: When you defuse just 14 per cent of bombs you have to expect opposition teams will try to make rain with high kicks and as such the Wests Tigers’ kickers will be launching the ball to the heavens.
Considering the Raiders are also only successfully defusing 40 per cent of cross-field kicks it could be a long afternoon for the back three in lime green jerseys.
The Wests Tigers are second in the NRL at this early stage in tries from kicks, having posted four from the boot this season – more reason to expect an aerial assault.
Last week Lote Tuqiri bagged a double, while Blake Ayshford scored one. All were from dribbles behind the defensive line.
Watch out Wests Tigers: One kid worth watching out for is rookie back-rower Shaun Fensom. He might not be the flashiest player to wear the Raiders jersey but he is proving to be an impressive addition to the Canberra line-up.
Averaging 71 metres gained is reasonable going for a kid – especially when you consider he is basically a defensive player. In defence he really shines, currently leading the NRL with 141 tackles (he has missed just three), which works out at 47 a match! But not content to just tackle people, Fensom is fourth in the NRL at dominant tackles, with 13 already thus far.
Where it will be won: Quality amongst the quantity. Each side has three or four forwards capable of playing long minutes but it is the quality of performance coming from these individuals, while under fatigue, which will make or break this game.
For the home-side Raiders, Bronson Harrison is the 80-minute man and if he can pop his trademark offloads and build up his metres throughout the contest, the Raiders are a chance.
The 80-minute man for the Wests Tigers is captain and hooker Robbie Farah. The Tigers’ leader is a proven, quality performer and if he directs play as expertly as he can, the Raiders are in trouble.
Other ‘quantity’ performers for the Raiders are Joe Picker (average 72 minutes a match this year), Fensom (69 minutes) and Alan Tongue (63.7 minutes). This trio cannot afford to drop intensity or the likes of Farah and Benji Marshall will pounce.
The Wests Tigers’ other long-minutes men are Chris Heighington (75.3 minutes), Gareth Ellis (73 minutes) and Liam Fulton (68 minutes), with the former two being the main reason the Tigers crushed the Eels last weekend.
The History: Played 18; Raiders 9, Wests Tigers 9. These two sides can’t be split over the 18-match history, with nine wins apiece, but at Canberra Stadium the Raiders have a slight 6-4 advantage.
The Wests Tigers have won five of the past eight games, including both encounters last season. The last time the teams came together in Canberra produced a 25-4 Wests Tigers triumph, the biggest margin between the two sides in their history. But usually there is less than a converted try in it.
Conclusion: Form says Wests Tigers – but you can never discount the Raiders at home. Canberra just have a knack for winning in the nation’s capital and the Wests Tigers are a pillar of inconsistency rather than consistency.
There has been a lot of talk out of the black and gold camp suggesting they are striving to build the elusive consistency, so here is their chance to prove it. Tigers it is, just.
Match officials: Referees – Shayne Hayne & Brett Suttor; Sideline Officials – Jeff Younis & Luke Potter; Video Ref – Tim Mander.
Televised: Channel Nine – Delayed 4pm; Fox Sports – Delayed 7.30pm.
- Statistics: NRL Stats.
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the conclusion sums it up very well.
wests-tigers are the pillar of inconsistency rather than consistency.
time to put it to rest and show that week after week the team can produce good performances. -
@NRL.com:
The Wests Tigers are second in the NRL at this early stage in tries from kicks, having posted four from the boot this season – more reason to expect an aerial assault.
I always find this assesment amusing. We score alot of tries from kicks because Marshall and Farah are so adept at noticing when the opposition defence is rushing in to squash an attack and putting it on the toe in behind them for our wingers/centres to run on to. We hardly ever score from hoisting it high and hoping.
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yeah I was thinking the same thing. I can’t recall the last time we scored off a bomb…? anyone?
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Come on tigers show us what consistancy is all about. Remember last year 6 games in a row.
Why not make it 7 this year …. -
Laurie Daley’s round four preview
Canberra v Wests Tigers, Canberra Stadium, 3pm (EDT)
It always hurts me to tip against the Raiders, particularly at home but the Tigers on their day are just brilliant. I like the way the Tigers played last weekend, but the question is whether they can have the same attitude to defence that they had last week. If they have that, I’m sure they can frustrate the Raiders. We saw in round one when the Sea Eagles dominated the Tigers in the middle that they can struggle a little bit. So the Raiders, who have a big pack, will be looking to exploit them with their big men and create some good go forward for Campese, who’s been a little bit quiet. But I think if the Tigers’ forwards can break even, they’ve got more game breakers than the Raiders. It’ll be tight but I think they’ll win.
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Aaah…I see what Lozza’s trying to do here…load praise on the Tigers so they lose…
reverse psychology…
Didn’t work last week…won’t work this week…Wests Tigers by plenty…
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It worked against the roosters…
When brian smith praised us…
but we wont fall for that one again … -
Preview: Raiders v Wests Tigers
Scott BrooksVENUE & TIME: Canberra Stadium, Sunday April 4, 3.00pm (AEST).
COVERAGE: Channel 9
HEAD TO HEADPlayed 18, Canberra 9, Tigers 9
LAST TIME: Tigers 25 - Canberra 4 at Canberra Stadium, Round 20, 2009
MATCH ODDS: Luxbet: Raiders $2.15, Tigers $1.71WALKING WOUNDED: The Raiders have lost hooker Travis Waddell for up to 12 weeks with a double fracture to his jaw, but his loss has been tempered slightly by the return of Blues Origin forward Tom Learoyd-Lahrs on the bench from a knee injury. Courageous young full-back Josh Dugan will take the field despite revelations he’d been playing with a fractured cheekbone over the past two weeks. Centre Joel Monaghan (thumb), Josh Miller (shoulder) and Justin Carney (leg) remain on the sidelines. Liam Fulton returns on the Tigers’ interchange bench after missing last week with a rib problem, while coach Tim Sheens has dropped new recruit Jason Cayless after a couple of sluggish performances to start the season. Robert Lui (ankle) and Taniela Tuiaki (leg) remain sidelined.
FORM: The Raiders’ woeful form on the road continued on the Gold Coast last Saturday night when they fumbled their way to a 20-point loss against the Titans. Fans of the club hoping for massive improvement this season may be best advised to watch home games intently and ignore the rest. It’s rare to see the Tigers put in a complete performance, but they were pretty close to the mark during last Friday night’s impressive win over the Parramatta Eels. With Benji and Lote providing the razzle dazzle, the NRL’s most entertaining team was always one step ahead of their sluggish opponents. Most importantly, it was a massive defensive improvement from the shambles on show the previous week against the Roosters.
WHO’S HOT: It appears the worst of Benji Marshall’s injury woes are behind him and the Tigers are reaping the benefits. Marshall is still considered injury-prone in some quarters, but the facts are he has played in 42 of the Tigers’ previous 43 games. We saw the Kiwi skipper at his brilliant best against the Eels when he crossed for two tries, including that superb 80m solo dash to seal the result.
WE THINK: If you were tipping solely on last week’s form then the Tigers would win this by a mile and then some. But over the last few years Tim Sheens’ men have struggled for consistency and the fact they will be traveling down to Canberra to take on a team that usually fires at home, makes this game a difficult one to tip. The class of Marshall, Farah and co. should get the Tigers over the line in a tight one, but they wouldn’t want to let the Green Machine skip away to a big lead. The Tigers were one of the few sides to beat the Raiders in Canberra during the second half of the 2009 season. Tigers by 2.
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hope a good win
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Canberra v Wests Tigers
GREG PRICHARD
April 3, 2010 - 12:00AMSunday, Canberra Stadium, 3pm (AEDT)
Referees: Shayne Hayne, Brett Suttor
Head to head: Raiders 9, Tigers 9
Last clash: Tigers 25-4 at Canberra Stadium (Rd 20, 2009)
TAB SportsBet: Raiders $2.10, Tigers $1.70
FootyTab: Raiders +2.5It seems pretty clear after just a few rounds that the Raiders are once again going to do by far their best work at home this season. They have been well beaten twice on the road, by the Panthers and Titans, and have won at home, against the Broncos. But if you have to go on the road to Canberra, now is a good time to do it. The freezing cold of a Canberra winter is yet to arrive, and although the surface can still get greasy at night down there in autumn, this is a day game. The Tigers will be able to play pretty much the way they do normally, in an attempt to perform a smash and grab of the two competition points. Key playmakers Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah will be expected to mix it up and put the defence under regular pressure, and the Raiders haven’t been convincing in defence so far this season.
The Raiders badly need to complete their sets and keep the ball away from the Tigers for as long as possible, if they are to give themselves a decent chance of winning. And halfback Josh McCrone has got to provide a solid consistency over 80 minutes. McCrone has ability, but he can come up with some poor options. Five-eighth Terry Campese remains the key to the Raiders winning. The Tigers defended very well aginst the Eels last weekend, but have still got to prove they can do that on a weekly basis, and if the Raiders are to open them up then Campese will have to be largely responsible for the big plays. The Raiders are always dangerous at home, but this is a great opportunity for the Tigers to get a valuable two points down there.
Glenn Jackson writes: Wests Tigers fullback Beau Ryan (quad) and halfback Tim Moltzen (stomach strain) spent only a limited time on the training field yesterday but are not expected to miss the away trip to Canberra on Sunday. The Raiders also expect to field the team they named this week.
RAIDERS: Josh Dugan, James Stuart, Jarrod Croker, Joel Thompson, Daniel Vidot, Terry Campese, Josh McCrone, David Shillington, Alan Tongue (capt), Scott Logan, Joe Picker, Bronson Harrison, Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Trevor Thurling, Troy Thompson, Dane Tilse
TIGERS: Beau Ryan, Lote Tuqiri, Blake Ayshford, Chris Lawrence, Mitch Brown, Benji Marshall, Tim Moltzen, Bryce Gibbs, Robbie Farah (capt), Keith Galloway, Todd Payten, Gareth Ellis, Chris Heighington. Interchange: Andrew Fifita, Liam Fulton, Mark Flanagan, Daniel Fitzhenry, Junior Moors (One to be omitted)
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