NRL: NZ Warriors vs Canberra Raiders - everything you need to know
The Warriors are chasing their sixth straight win this season.
Photo:
RNZ
NZ Warriors will return to Go Media Stadium for the first time in a month, as they resume their rivalry with Canberra Raiders.
The home side have filled the role of "road warriors", with fixtures in Christchurch, Brisbane, Wollongong and Brisbane again - all valuable wins.
With five straight victories under their belt, the Warriors hope to consolidate their current second standing on the NRL table.
No other NRL team has faced the Warriors more than Canberra - the Melbourne Storm have also fronted up 53 times, but this encounter will give the Raiders that distinction outright.
The Auckland-based side have beaten their rivals from the Aussie capital 25 times, with only North Queensland (27) and Newcastle (26) offering more success. They have enjoyed a 17-11 record in home games and 13-8 at Mt Smart.
In fact, the Raiders have not won in New Zealand since 2019, when they prevailed 46-12, despite a try double from Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Canberra won the
much-hyped season-opener
30-8 at Las Vegas, when a length-of-the-field, intercept try to Xavier Savage turned the contest in their favour. They also won their previous meeting 20-18 at GIO Stadium, but the Warriors own the previous three encounters.
Before the Warriors were established in 1995, Canberra and Manly Sea Eagles were probably Kiwis' most-followed NRL teams. The "Green Machine" previously featured NZ league legends Brent Todd, Quentin Pongia and John Lomax during a golden era that also included current coach Ricky Stuart, NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley and Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga.
The Warriors have now won five consecutive games, but incredibly, they have been outscored 60-33 in the second halves of those contests.
Most of those victories have been nailbiters, as they search for their first complete performance. Last week, they needed a
blown referee call
to escape the Dolphins 16-12.
They actually have a chance to draw level with Canterbury Bulldogs atop the NRL table, but are well behind on points differential - they would need to win by 70 points to go ahead.
Ali Leiataua returns from a sprained ankle against the Raiders.
Photo:
Brett Phibbs/Photosport
Conversely, if they lose, they would slip to fourth on the standings, as the Raiders and Storm (bye) draw level with far superior differentials.
The Warriors lead the league in set completion (83 percent) and short dropouts (12), while Kurt Capewell has missed more tackles (56) than anyone else.
Canberra have been one of the form teams of the competition, with their own five game win streak snapped by a defeat to the tabletopping Bulldogs two weeks ago. That was followed by another win over Gold Coast Titans last week.
They lead the league in tackle breaks with 425, well clear of the next-best Brisbane Broncos (378), and also dummy half runs (125). Halfback Jamal Fogarty is tied with Dolphins half Isaiya Katoa for most attacking kicks (88).
NZ Warriors:
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Adam Pompey, 22. Ali Leiataua, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Luke Metcalf, 12. Marata Niukore, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Bunty Afoa, 11. Leka Halasima, 4. Kurt Capewell, 13. Erin Clark
Interchange: 8. Jackson Ford, 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Jacob Laban, 16. Demitric Vaimauga
Reserves: 21. Tanah Boyd, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith
Coach Andrew Webster has made a late, but predictable change, bring centre Ali Leiataua off the extended bench and into the starting line-up. Leiataua sprained an ankle in training before the "Magic Round" win over North Queensland Cowboys, but will reclaim his spot alongside winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck on one edge.
His inclusion causes a reshuffle, with Kurt Capewell returning to the second row, Marata Niukore shifting to the front row and Jackson Ford to the interchange.
Both co-captains Mitch Barnett (Origin) and
James Fisher-Harris (suspension) are unavailable
, but Bunty Afoa is back from a knee injury and
Capewell assumes the leadership role
.
Canberra Raiders:
1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Corey Horsburgh 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Simi Sasagi 12. Zac Hosking 13. Morgan Smithies
Interchange: 14. Owen Pattie 15. Noah Martin 16. Josh Papali'i 17. Ata Mariota
Reserves: 18. Jed Stuart 19. Trey Mooney 20. Danny Levi 21. Pasami Saulo 22. Chevy Stewart
Coach Ricky Stuart loses the services of NSW forward Hudson Young, so Simi Sasagi has his first start of the season, after coming of the bench previously. Second-rower Noah Martin is named for a first-grade debut from the interchange.
Winger
Xavier Savage
had a try double at Las Vegas, including the interception that prevented a Warriors touchdown and resulted in one at the other end - a potential 12-point swing.
He's in redhot form, after a hattrick against the Titans last week, and the Warriors won't want to give him any space at Mt Smart.
Joseph Tapine celebrates a try for the Kiwis against Tonga.
Photo:
Photosport
Raiders captain
Joseph Tapine
is well known to Kiwi fans and has established himself as one of the very best front-rowers in the competition - he was named Dally M Prop of the Year in 2022 and 2024.
Tapine was sighted for a shoulder charge against the Warriors in the season-opener and suspended two games. He returned to bring up his 200th NRL appearance in Canberra's round nine win over the Storm.
Tough to know which Raiders team will turn up - the one that rallied from 14-0 down to beat Melbourne or the one that let a 20-point halftime lead slide against the Bulldogs.
The Warriors weren't talking much about their Vegas capitulation this week, but they will have learnt some lessons from that performance, perhaps enough to even the ledger against the "Green Machine" this season.
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