Sunday’s first NRL Round 9 match is between Canberra Raiders and Newcastle Knights with the opening kick to commence at 2pm local time. The game is to be played at Canberra Stadium with the home team Canberra Raiders hold favouritism in the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Canberra Raiders and Newcastle Knights.

Canberra Stadium

Featured Bookmakers:

Canberra Raiders $1.60 vs Newcastle Knights $2.32 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Canberra Raiders $1.60 vs Newcastle Knights $2.32 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:

Canberra Raiders	1.60	1.57	1.60	1.57	1.60	1.60
Newcastle Knights	2.32	2.40	2.32	2.40	2.32	2.40

Preview:

Both sides last week were headaches for Punters with the Raiders toppling the Strom in Melbourne as $5.75 outsiders and the Knights, as $1.35 chances, losing in Golden Point time to the Cronulla Sharks.

Led by centre Blake Ferguson and five-eighth Terry Campese, the Raiders displayed the form that saw them make a late charge into the finals last season.

Canberra are 3-0 when playing at home this year with wins over Dragons (30-17), Roosters (24-22) and Warriors (20-16) and 2-0 when heading into matches as favourites.

With their tails up form last week, they are very well placed to take on the Knights.

The Knights are 1-2 when on the road this year and not many sides enjoy the trek to Canberra however, the Novocastrians do enjoy a 4-1 record over the Raiders since 2011.

The last four of those matches have produced total matches points of 40 points or more and with plenty of attack in both sides, expect this game to be another with plenty of points scored.

Teams:

Canberra Raiders:
Reece Robinson, Sandor Earl, Jack Wighton, Blake Ferguson, Edrick Lee, Terry Campese (c), Josh McCrone, Dane Tilse, Matt McIlwrick, Brett White, Joel Edwards, Joe Picker, Shaun Fensom
Interchange: Anthony Milford, Jake Foster, David Shillington, Paul Vaughan, Shaun Berrigan (one to be omitted)

Newcastle Knights:
Darius Boyd, James McManus, Dane Gagai, Timana Tahu, Akuila Uate, Kurt Gidley (c), Tyrone Roberts, Kade Snowden, Travis Waddell, Willie Mason, Robbie Rochow, Alex McKinnon, Chris Houston
Interchange: Matt Hilder, Neville Costigan, Adam Cuthbertson, David Fa’alogo, Korbin Sims (one to be omitted)

Raiders wish Dugan the best at Dragons

Josh Dugan’s former captain David Shillington says Canberra holds no ill-feelings towards the controversial fullback for signing with St George Illawarra.

With Terry Campese missing most of the past few NRL seasons through injury, Shillington was Dugan’s stand-in captain at the Raiders through the good times and the bad.

That not only included Dugan’s lone State of Origin game for NSW in 2011, but also his most recent off-field indiscretions that led to his sacking from the Raiders in March.

Shillington said the 23-year-old was a massive signing for the Dragons.

“The Dragons definitely need him there at fullback and he needs them. It’s a win-win situation,” Shillington said.

“We would have loved to see him playing footy here. Everyone knows how great a talent he is and will be in the future.”

Shillington added the Raiders wished Dugan all the best at his new club.

“There’s certainly no bad wishes or ill feeling here towards him. We’ve all moved on and it’s actually been a fair while,” he said.

Meanwhile, Shillington makes his return for the Raiders off the bench on Sunday when his side hosts Newcastle at Canberra Stadium.

The 29-year-old prop has been on the sideline since damaging rib cartilage in round six against the Warriors.

After being ruled out of the Anzac Test in April due to his rib injury, Shillington said he was keen to perform well to get his name back in the mix for Queensland in the upcoming State of Origin series.

“I’ll have to be playing my best over the next couple weeks if I want to be a chance of it,” he said.

He said he was also looking forward to ripping into the massive Knights pack this weekend to get revenge for their 28-12 loss in Newcastle in round four.

“I thought Newcastle probably got over us last time in the forwards, we weren’t up to scratch,” he said.

“They’re all very experienced there, with the likes of Willie Mason and Kade Snowden, so it’s a big job for us.”