Soliola back to face Storm after ugly hit
Aug 28, 2017 - 7:05 AM Canberra prop Shannon Boyd has warned Melbourne to "look out" for Sia Soliola when the Raiders backrower returns from a five-match NRL suspension this weekend.Soliola's ugly high and late hit on Billy Slater knocked the Storm star out cold in round 20, sparking anger as well as the most anticipated judiciary hearing of the season.
But far from going into his shell, Soliola won't take a backward step - according to Boyd - when the two sides resume hostilities at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
"He's a big boy Sia. He'll be ready to go out and get into them after what happened last time we played them, so look out," Boyd said.
Soliola has knuckled down at training, with marathon gym sessions helping him to add some bulk while suspended.
"He'll be massive for us against Melbourne," Boyd said.
"He's a good leader and he always shows the boys the way and leads out front."
While the NRL later admitted Soliola's shot on Slater should have seen him sent off, the versatile forward has an outstanding off-field reputation and isn't considered a dirty player.
Raiders fullback Jack Wighton doesn't believe the incident will heighten tensions between the two sides.
"We give it, we get it and it's just the way it works sometimes," Wighton said.
"There was no hard feelings, it was just one of those things you can't take back that's happened."
Canberra will be playing for pride against the minor premiers after their faint finals hopes were extinguished when Manly won in Auckland on Sunday.
The dead rubber comes almost a year after the Storm eliminated Canberra with a preliminary final victory at the same venue.
"They're on fire down there in Melbourne so it's going to be a big job if we're going to do it," Wighton said.
Wighton was adamant the Raiders only have themselves to blame for their slide down the ladder this year after losing eight games by six points or less.
"We really let ourselves down in tight games so it's something we're going to have to fix next year if we're going to be contenders," he said.
Source: AAP
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