St George Illawarra Dragons vs Canberra Raiders live scores – 2013 NRL Round 20

Saturday first NRL Round 20 match is between St George Illawarra Dragons and Canberra Raiders with the opening kick to commence at 5:30pm local time. The game is to be played at WIN Stadium which see’s away team Canberra Raiders hold favouritism in the market. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between St George Illawarra Dragons and Canberra Raiders.

WHERE AND WHEN: WIN Stadium, 27th July, 5:30pm

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Opening odds comparison:

St George Illawarra Dragons	2.10	2.15	2.15	2.15	2.10	2.13
Canberra Raiders	1.72	1.72	1.73	1.72	1.72	1.75

Preview:

The first Saturday game is between St George Illawarra and Canberra, in one of the more evenly matched games of the round. While the Raiders will go into this as slight favourites, the Dragons will be keen to keep the momentum going from their victory over South Sydney last round. They don’t have good history against the Saints, however, who they haven’t beaten since 2007. Dragons fullback Josh Dugan is likely to play a key role in this game, with the former Raiders player ready to take on his old side after a great performance in the Origin series.

Teams:

St George Illawarra Dragons:

 

Canberra Raiders:

1 Anthony Milford
2 Reece Robinson
3 Jarrod Croker
4 Joel Thompson
5 Sami Sauiluma
6 Terry Campese (c)
7 Josh McCrone
8 David Shillington
9 Glen Buttriss
10 Dane Tilse
11 Josh Papalii
12 Joel Edwards
13 Shaun Fensom

Interchange
14 Shaun Berrigan
15 Jarrad Kennedy
16 Brett White
17 Paul Vaughan

Coach: David Furner

Vidot reveals Canberra’s hoodoo drive

St George Illawarra centre Daniel Vidot has revealed the secret behind Canberra’s stranglehold over the Dragons – a ‘pump-up video’ of the Raiders’ domination of the red and white.

Vidot, who played three season with the Raiders before linking with the Dragons, admitted his new club’s Canberra hoodoo was one of the sport’s most bizarre run of results.

The two clubs meet again on Saturday night in Wollongong, with the Dragons looking for their first win over the Raiders since 2007.

St George Illawarra’s run of outs in the nation’s capital is part of rugby league folklore – a losing streak that stretches back to 2000.

But their record at home against the green machine isn’t much better, having lost their last two encounters at WIN Stadium.

“I seriously can’t explain it – it’s a weird thing,” Vidot said of the hoodoo.

“It’s kind of in the back of the head but it shouldn’t be an issue.”

Vidot may have let Canberra’s secret weapon out of the bag however in detailing how much beating the Dragons meant to the Raiders.

“It’s a bit of a big thing for the Raiders,” Vidot said.

“We’ve always had a `pump-up’ video before the Dragons.

“I don’t know why, but it’s the only team that we had a pump-up video for. They prepare for it, they love it.

“The last time I was there that’s what happened – they think it’s like Origin to them.”

Certainly St George Illawarra’s inability to beat Canberra resembles NSW’s struggles against Queensland in State of Origin, with the Blues having lost eight straight series.

It has some Dragons lost for explanation.

“It’s just comical,” halfback Nathan Fien said.

“It’s just one of those things in sport, you just can’t explain it, they just always lift for us.”

It would almost seem the Dragons have bought into the philosophy if you can’t beat them, join them – or in St George Illawarra’s case – let them join you.

Vidot is one of four former Raiders currently on the Dragons books, joining Josh Dugan, Bronson Harrison and Michael Weyman.

That number will swell in 2014 with Raiders duo Joel Thompson and Sam Williams to both don the ‘red v’.

Vidot expects some Canberra fans to make the trip north for the game given the opportunity to give it to Dugan, the fullback many in the nation’s capital believe did his best to be sacked by the club earlier this year.