Raiders get last chance for NRL redemption
Jul 28, 2017 - 7:41 AM In 80 minutes of football against South Sydney, the curtain could be drawn on Canberra's NRL season.The Raiders have failed to live up expectations this year, fighting for survival rather than pushing for the top four spot they were widely tipped for as the season enters its final six rounds.
They'll have to start a remarkable winning streak in Saturday's clash with Souths at ANZ Stadium and hope other results go their way to force themselves into the top eight.
While the 14th-placed Rabbitohs look on paper to be one of the easier assignments of the Raiders' run home, suspension has robbed Canberra of a highly influential trio.
Versatile forward Sia Soliola begins his five-match suspension for knocking out Melbourne's Billy Slater.
Star winger Jordan Rapana will also miss the match after pleading guilty to a shoulder charge, while Queensland Origin second-rower Josh Papalii has another game to serve for the same offence.
While there's no shortage of belief, the Raiders are wary of a team playing with the unwanted freedom which comes from being out of finals contention.
"When everyone's got nothing to lose, that's when it puts a lot of pressure on the other team," frontrower Junior Paulo said.
Paulo will have his work cut out for him with Rabbitohs skipper Sam Burgess cleared to lead his side's pack.
That doesn't worry Paulo.
"Everyone's human. You've got to be able to go out there and do your job run hard and tackle harder," he said.
While the Raiders were impressive in defence against the competition's benchmark Melbourne last week, they still fell short despite the Storm losing Billy Slater and Cameron Smith early in the second half.
According to Fox Sports Stats, it was the eighth time this season their completion rate was less than 70 per cent,
That's culminated in having the second worst rate in the competition, which along with a slew of close losses have been telling factors in their slide.
STATS THAT MATTER
* Rabbitohs winger Bryson Goodwin has scored eight tries in 10 matches against the Raiders, both his best tally and best strike rate against any opponent.
* Canberra has scored 40 of its 68 tries down their far edges. 26 down the far right and 14 down the far left, the most lethal edges in the competition.
* South Sydney concede the fewest fast play-the-balls in the competition, with 54.1 per game.
Source: Fox Sports Stats
Source: AAP
No one has shouted yet.
Be the first!
Be the first!
Related News
- Raiders sign Havili to ease hooking crisis Dec 7
- Hodgson hopeful of 2018 NRL return Nov 27
- Re-signed Hodgson predicts Raiders success Nov 20
- Canberra re-sign Nick Cotric until 2020 Nov 2
- Croker welcomes Raiders' early NRL start Nov 1
- Canberra Raiders re-sign Elliott Whitehead Oct 19
- Storm won't target Soliola in NRL: Croker Aug 30
- Soliola to decide on NRL clash with Storm Aug 28
- Soliola back to face Storm after ugly hit Aug 28
- Raiders to face brutal NRL season review Aug 25
- Raiders alive in NRL after beating Knights Aug 25
- Raider Cotric 'moral' for NRL rookie gong Aug 24