Saturday has three NRL matches with the first game for Round 25 is between New Zealand Warriors and Canberra Raiders with the opening kick to commence at 5:00pm local time. The game is to be played at Mt Smart Stadium with the favourite for the match being New Zealand Warriors. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between New Zealand Warriors and Canberra Raiders.

WHERE AND WHEN: Mt Smart Stadium, Saturday, 31st August, 5:00pm (3pm AEST)

Opening odds comparison:

New Zealand Warriors	1.30	1.30	1.32	1.30	1.30	1.28
Canberra Raiders	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50

Preview:

The first Saturday game is between the New Zealand Warriors and the Canberra Raiders, kicking off at 3.00pm at Mt Smart Stadium. The Raiders have been very
inconsistent of late, winning three in a row before their massive loss to the Storm which they haven’t recovered from. The Warriors should win here, although both teams
will be hungry to make the eight. The 12th placed Raiders have not exactly had the best lead-up week, however, with coach David Furner sacked and star player Blake
Ferguson having to stand down.

Teams:

New Zealand Warriors:
Kevin Locke, Jerome Ropati, Dane Nielsen, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Nathan Friend, Suaia Matagi, Elijah Taylor, Simon Mannering, Todd Lowrie. Interchange: Ben Matulino, Jacob Lillyman, Feleti Mateo, Dominique Peyroux, Ngani Laumape

Canberra Raiders:
Reece Robinson, Bill Tupou, Jarrod Croker, Joel Thompson, Sami Sauiluma, Terry Campese, Anthony Milford, David Shillington, Josh McCrone, Brett White, Josh Papalii, Joel Edwards, Paul Vaughan. Interchange: Glen Buttriss, Jake Foster, Dane Tilse, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Matt McIlwrick

Raiders bemused over Ferguson’s no-show

A circus. Ridiculous.

Canberra interim coach Andrew Dunemann agrees with both descriptions of controversial star Blake Ferguson’s continued absence from the NRL club.

The troubled 23-year-old still hadn’t returned to Canberra from Sydney for Raiders training on Wednesday afternoon.

That means the Raiders fly to Auckland on Thursday morning for a must-win NRL clash against the Warriors on Saturday with Ferguson’s uncertain future at the club still hanging over them.

The Raiders tried to contact Ferguson numerous times on Wednesday after he didn’t show up for a meeting with club CEO Don Furner the night before.

It’s understood he’s advised the club to call his uncle Anthony Mundine, but they had no success in doing so.

Ferguson chose to be in Sydney instead of watching his teammates’ last two crucial home games.

It’s believed he wants out of the Canberra club to be closer to family and friends in Sydney in 2014.

His most recent no-show comes just one week after the coach who stuck his neck out for him, David Furner, was sacked by the club.

When asked if the whole saga was becoming a bit ridiculous, Dunemann replied: “Yeah it is, but like I said the board are handling it and I’ll leave it to them.”

A circus?

“I think so,” Dunemann said.

The 12th-placed Raiders must beat the Warriors in Auckland and then the Sharks in Canberra to have any chance of finishing in the top eight.

Dunemann admitted Ferguson’s behaviour had been a slight distraction for the squad.

“It is initially, but I think they’re now past it to be honest,” he said.

Asked if there needed to be hardline stance taken on off-field indiscretions, he said “There needs to be seen to be punishment for people who don’t want to abide by what the rest of them do.”

Canberra captain Terry Campese, who is returning from a two-week injury stint on the sidelines, said Ferguson’s disappearance wouldn’t be too big a distraction.

“We’re just worried about this weekend and the 17 players named to play,” he said.