Sunday first NRL Round 21 match is between Canberra Raiders and Melbourne Storm with the opening kick to commence at 2.00pm local time. The game is to be played at Canberra Stadium which see’s home team Melbourne Storm hold favouritism in the market. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between Canberra Raiders and Melbourne Storm.

WHERE AND WHEN: Canberra Stadium, 2.00pm

[iframe_loader width=”690″ height=”300″ src=”https://sportsnews.com.au/nrl/match.php?id=1904″]

Opening odds comparison:

Canberra Raiders	2.35	2.25	2.32	2.25	2.35	2.35
Melbourne Storm	1.60	1.65	1.63	1.65	1.60	1.63

Preview:

The first Sunday game is between the Canberra Raiders and the Melbourne Storm, kicking off at 2.00pm at Canberra Stadium. While Melbourne will definitely be favourites to win here, the Raiders can never be ruled out when they are at home. Even without the home ground advantage, however, Canberra are in fine form at the moment with three wins in a row and looking for more. With a fourth-placed Storm outfit on a downhill run playing a seventh-placed Raiders team on the rise, this looks like an interesting match.

Teams:

Canberra Raiders:
Anthony Milford, Reece Robinson, Jarrod Croker, Joel Thompson, Sandor Earl, Terry Campese, Josh McCrone, David Shillington, Glen Buttriss, Dane Tilse, Josh Papalii, Joel Edwards, Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Shaun Berrigan, Jarrad Kennedy, Brett White, Paul Vaughan.

Melbourne Storm:
Billy Slater, Sisa Waqa, Will Chambers, Maurice Blair, Justin O’Neill, Brett Finch, Cooper Cronk, Jesse Bromwich, Cameron Smith (capt), Bryan Norrie, Kevin Proctor, Ryan Hoffman, Ryan Hinchcliffe. Interchange: Jason Ryles, Tohu Harris, Siosaia Vave, Slade Griffin.

Milford quashes Brisbane rumours, for now.

Canberra fullback Anthony Milford has quashed rumours he’ll move back to Brisbane to join the Broncos next year despite suffering from homesickness.

The 19-year-old sensation was linked to the Broncos last week after reports emerged the Brisbane junior wanted to move back home to be closer to his family.

While Milford is contracted to the Raiders until the end of 2014, it was suggested a family illness get-out clause relating to his father could allow him to switch clubs to Brisbane in 2014.

However Milford fronted the media to end the rumours on Tuesday, saying his father was doing well and getting medical check-ups three times a week following a heart-attack 18 months ago.

“This past year that I’ve been here I’ve really found a strong bond with (Josh Papalii’s) family and I’ve built that up to be my own,” he said.

Like his own family, Papalii’s parents are of Samoan heritage and while his relationship with them may be strong, he admitted it was still hard to overcome his homesickness.

“There’s always times where I’m trying to call back home and see how they are,” he said.

“I’m on the phone to them everyday, which helps.”

Meanwhile, Joel Thompson hopes to get a little more clarity this week on whether he’ll return to the backrow to make way for star centre Blake Ferguson.

Ferguson was again left out of the Raiders match day 17 when an unchanged team was announced on Tuesday to take on the Melbourne Storm this weekend in Canberra.

“I’d like to know early, but at the end of the day that’s football. I’m just happy to be in the team,” Thompson said.

In other news, French-bound winger Sandor Earl says he hasn’t yet been asked by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority to front for an interview despite reports 30 NRL players have been given times for a second round of talks.

Earl was named by the Nine Network in June as being probed following claims he was treated with peptides at a clinic in Sydney’s southwest while playing for Penrith.

The 23-year-old maintains his innocence and says he’s considering legal action after the season finishes.

“I expect to be (interviewed) after what was publicly said, it would be quite silly if I wasn’t,” he said.

“If that’s the case, I’m happy to co-operate.”