Saturday’s NRL 2018 Round 3 match is between Canberra Raiders and New Zealand Warriors. The opening kick is set to commence at 15:00 local time with the game to be played at GIO Stadium. The away team New Zealand Warriors are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Canberra Raiders and New Zealand Warriors.
When: 15:00 | Saturday 24/03/2018
Where: GIO Stadium
Preview:
Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has indicated he wants to see more from his side in attack by switching his halves around.
After a surprising 0-2 start, Stuart has inserted Aidan Sezer into the starting line-up at no.6 with Blake Austin reverting to the bench.
The Raiders face a 2-0 Warriors team full of confidence and it’s a favourable match-up for the Green Machine who lead 8-6 since 2010 including wins in the last four between the two.
As favourites, the Raiders are 9-10-0 since 2016 while the Warriors are 3-14-0 as underdogs over the same period.
Canberra are 23-3 (88.5 percent) from 2017 in the “match even (odd or even)” market.
The Verdict
Sezer’s kicking game will be a major boost for the Raiders and they’ll need good field position to tire a big Warriors pack.
Even at this early stage of the season, the Raiders will be earmarking this game as a ‘must-win’ to avoid a 0-3 hole but it won’t be easy against the in-form Warriors.
Unibet Odds: Canberra Raiders 1.75 New Zealand Warriors 2.10
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Tip: New Zealand Warriors at $2.10
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Josh Dugan at $15.00
More Info:
Teams:
Raiders:
1 Jack Wighton, 2 Nick Cotric, 3 Jarrod Croker (c), 4 Joseph Leilua, 5 Jordan Rapana, 6 Aiden Sezer, 7 Sam Williams, 8 Sia Soliola, 9 Siliva Havili, 10 Shannon Boyd, 11 Josh Papalii, 12 Elliott Whitehead, 13 Luke Bateman.
Interchange: 14 Blake Austin, 15 Junior Paulo, 16 Dunamis Lui, 17 Liam Knight.
Reserves: 18 Joseph Tapine, 19 Ata Hingano, 20 Michael Oldfield, 21 Royce Hunt.
Warriors:
1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c), 2 David Fusitu’a, 3 Peta Hiku, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Adam Blair, 11 Leivaha Pulu, 12 Tohu Harris, 13 Ligi Sao.
Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Agnatius Paasi, 16 Sam Lisone, 17 Bunty Afoa.
Reserves: 18 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 20 Anthony Gelling, 21 Chris Saate 22 Mason Lino.
NRL News:
The Warriors have sent a clear message to the NRL after their 20-8 victory over Gold Coast – we’re only going to get better.
The club has started their NRL campaign with back-to-back wins for just the third time in club history on Saturday, running in four tries to one against the Titans, who struggled to breach a committed Warriors defence.
Stephen Kearney’s troops dominated almost the full 80, deploying the Warriors’ traditional free-flowing style.
They bagged two tries in the first half through winger David Fusitu’a and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, before Solomone Kata and Fusitu’a crossed in the second.
The Titans nabbed a late Anthony Don consolation.
While the score line remained at 12-2 for a large chunk of the second half, the Warriors appeared well in control, bombing several chances.
Captain Tuivasa-Sheck was at his brilliant best, making 197 running metres, while Shaun Johnson and Blake Green continued to gel as a halves pairing.
Kearney was glad to secure consecutive wins but admitted post-match that his side should’ve played more directly and added a few more four-pointers.
“The thing we’re not getting carried away with is that I think we have a lot more improvement in us – we recognised that today in the sheds after the game, but it was a real tough grinding win and it was good to get the result,” Kearney said.
“It was a real tough contest and what I liked about the lads’ performance is that they stayed in the battle and Roger, again, came up with some really big plays.”
After Michael Gordon’s early Titans penalty goal, the Warriors piled the pressure on, eventually nabbing their first in the 18th minute through Fusitu’a.
Tuivasa-Sheck followed five minutes later, collecting a Green inside ball to score, before creating Kata’s bullish second-half effort down the left.
The in-form Fusitu’a – who also scored two tries against South Sydney last week – rounded out the match by leaping high to score from a Johnson bomb.
Kearney, however, was happier with his side’s defence.
They made just 17 missed tackles to the Titans’ 36, and defended their own tryline with gusto.
“Again, we knew what we were in for today and I thought the guys handled themselves pretty well there, looked pretty calm to me,” Kearney said.
On a sour note, young Warriors second-rower Isaiah Papali’i went off early with a knee issue, which could keep him on the sidelines in the coming weeks.
