For the first time in a year, the Raiders posted back-to-back victories with a 27 – 12 win over the struggling West Tigers last week.
The Raiders young side were enthusiastic as they established a 12 – 0 lead which, although threatened in the second half when the Tigers scored twice in quick succession, they protected enough late in the game to record only their third win at home this season.
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As Ricky Stuart stated recently, there is some young and undeveloped talent at the club and their progress has helped the Raiders in the past month to some of their best performances of the year.
Stuart would love nothing better than to be at the helm of the team that denied his former club the Eels, the opportunity of making this year’s finals series and with the two wins under their belt and the final game at home, expect the Raider to offer plenty of resistance against a desperate Eels outfit.
Brett White comes back into the forward pack for this match with Dane Tilse dropping back to the bench.
Coming off the high of an astonishing win over competition front-runners Manly in round 24, the Eels headed to Hunter Stadium last week where a win would all but have secured them a spot in this year’s final series.
At the break the Eels held a slender 12 – 8 lead but as the second half resumed, it was the Knights who looked in more desperate need of the win as they posted six unanswered tries to demolish the Eels 42 – 12.
It was a disappointing effort from the Eels and one that not only has brought them crashing down back to earth and continued their poor form away from home but, it also damages their already fragile for-and-against and now places with an extremely limited opportunity of reaching the finals.
Coach Brad Arthur has allowed the same squad from last week the chance to redeem themselves by naming an unchanged side.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Eels had to work hard for the win when the two sides met recently back in round 22, 18 – 10.
Like the Eels effort last week, it was a disjointed and mistake riddled displayed that was only saved by the individual brilliance of Jarryd Hayne.
It was the first win the Eels had posted over the Raiders in five matches played since 2010 with the last victory the Eels securing at GIO Stadium coming back in 2006 – nine games ago.
The Eels should win this one but away from home, they do not appear as strong and the Raiders are capable of making life difficult for them.
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Canberra Raiders:
Jack Wighton, Bill Tupou, Jarrod Croker, Jeremy Hawkins, Edrick Lee, Anthony Milford, Mitch Cornish, Shannon Boyd, Glen Buttriss, Brett White, Josh Papalii, Jarrad Kennedy, Joel Edwards. Interchange: Josh McCrone, Matt McIlwrick, Dane Tilse, Paul Vaughan
Ins: Brett White
Outs: Kyle O’Donnell (dropped)
Other unavailables: Jordan Rapana (skull fracture, season), Brenko Lee (hamstring, season), David Shillington (pectoral, season), Kurt Baptiste (shoulder, season), Shaun Fensom (ACL, season), Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (knee, season), Jeff Lynch (knee, season)
Parramatta Eels:
Jarryd Hayne (c), Semi Radradra, William Hopoate, Ryan Morgan, Ken Sio, Corey Norman, Chris Sandow, Tim Mannah (c), Isaac De Gois, Junior Paulo, Kenny Edwards, Tepai Moeroa, Joseph Paulo. Interchange: Peni Terepo, David Gower, Darcy Lussick, Ben Smith
Ins: None
Outs: None
Other unavailables: Lee Mossop (shoulder, season), Manu Ma’u (broken arm, indefinite), Nathan Peats (ACL, season), Kaysa Pritchard (shoulder, indefinite), Willie Tonga (back, indefinite), Bureta Faraimo (knee, season), Kelepi Tanginoa (hand, indefinite), Mitchell Allgood (knee, indefinite), Taniela Lasalo (pectoral, season), Ben Smith (suspension, season)
