Saturday’s first NRL Round 16 match is between Wests Tigers and Canberra Raiders with the opening kick to commence at 17:30 local time. The game is to be played at Campbelltown Stadium which see’s home team Wests Tigers hold favouritism in the market. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between Wests Tigers and Canberra Raiders.
Where and when: 17:30 | Saturday 28/06/2014 @ Campbelltown Stadium
Preview:
With only two wins from their past six matches, the Tigers need a win here against the Raiders especially when Penrith, Manly and Canterbury waiting for them in the upcoming month.
The Tigers enjoyed the bye last week after losing to Souths 32 – 10 when without the services of Origin starts Aaron Woods and Robbie Farah.
Both players are back in this side for this week in what shapes as one of the strongest line-ups the Tigers have named all season.
The Tigers have leaked an average of 23 points in their past six games and it’s this aspect of their game that they’ll have to tighten up if they are to keep in touch with the top half of the competition.
Since returning from injury, Fullback James Tedesco has scored in both of the Tigers’ recent clashes, taking his season tally to six from just the seven appearances.
RAIDERS
The Canberra Raiders fell to their sixth loss from their past seven matches when defeated by the Bulldogs 22 – 14.
The Raiders had plenty in their favour leading into the match. They were playing a rare Friday night game at home, desperate for a win and met the Bulldogs, who had lost their previous three games, whilst still missing several key players from their side.
However, despite scoring first through Jarrod Croker – his eleventh for the season, and getting plenty of opportunities to improve on their score during the match, the Raiders were unable to penetrate the Bulldogs defence and only crossed once more, in the dying moments of the game.
Now into the second half of the season, if the Raiders are to salvage anything out of the 2014 season it has to start with a win here but given they’ve lost their last four on the road and their record against the Tigers is a dreadful one, hard to see how the Raiders will make the improvement required to come out on top.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Tigers have dominated the Raiders for several seasons now, having only lost once in ten games played since 2010.
Five of the past six matches have resulted in a total match score of 40 points or more – three of those games reaching at least 50.
On current stats and form, it’s hard to see anything but a Tigers. The winning margin of 11 – 20 might add a bit of value.
Teams:
TIGERS: James Tedesco, David Nofoaluma, Tim Simona, Chris Lawrence, Pat Richards, Braith Anasta, Luke Brooks, Aaron Woods, Robbie Farah (c), Keith Galloway, Curtis Sironen, Bodene Thompson, Adam Blair. Interchange: Sauaso Sue, Martin Taupau, Blake Austin, Ava Seumanufagai.
RAIDERS: Anthony Milford, Matt Allwood, Jarrod Croker, Jack Wighton, Brenko Lee, Terry Campese (C), Josh McCrone, David Shillington, Glen Buttriss, Brett White, Joel Edwards, Jarrad Kennedy, Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Kyle O’Donnell, Paul Vaughan, Dane Tilse, Shannon Boyd.
News:
Sam Burgess has finally shrugged off a worrying elbow injury in time to spearhead South Sydney to the NRL finals.
The Rabbitohs enforcer has battled the complaint through most of the season but, after a crucial weekend away from football for the Souths’ round 15 bye, Burgess said he was fully fit.
“I am sweet. I feel pretty good now. It was good to have a weekend off,” Burgess said on Wednesday.
“I did absolutely nothing for three days, so that was good.
“I am feeling good, ready to go again this week. The body is in good shape.”
One of the form players of the NRL, the England international had surgery on his right elbow during the representative weekend in early May but has continued to wear heavy strapping to protect it.
“I just had a bit of a tidy up there in the last bye over the international weekend and it is fully recovered now,” Burgess said.
“So it feels pretty good now.
“I just leave the strapping there to stop it happening again … and it looks good.”
With 10 games to go until the final series, Burgess has come good for Souths in what could be the final part of his rugby league career.
Meanwhile, Rabbitohs hooker Issac Luke says his shoulder injury is back to 100 per cent after he missed eight matches before returning in the round 12 win over St George Illawarra.
“I managed to get 80 minutes out of the last game and I am happy with the way everything is going,” he said.
“The shoulder has gotten back to where it was and I am happy with where it is at.
“I’ve done all I can to get back into training and hopefully I won’t be wearing the rehab singlet again.
Souths play North Queensland in Townsville on Saturday night.
