Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers Verdict
The Tigers' season is over already and another defeat is predicted in Canberra. The Raiders should have little trouble keeping Wests under their 18.5 points team total having failed to score more than six points in four of their last seven games.
- Raiders are on a three-game winning streak
- Tigers are on a five-game losing streak
- Tigers have also lost nine of their last 11 games
- Tigers have failed to cover a +12.5 line in eight of their last nine defeats
- Tigers have been kept Under 18.5 team points in eight of their last 11 games
- Simi Sasagi & Ethan Strange both scored vs Tigers last season & are two of the Raiders' most damaging attacking players
Head To Head
Canberra have won 10 of their last 12 meetings with the Tigers, who haven't won at GIO Stadium since 2018. The Tigers did emerge 33-14 winners in front of a packed Leichhardt Oval crowd earlier this season when they were in much better form.
Canberra Raiders Form
It was poor start to the season for Canberra as they lost four of their opening five games and they've been playing catchup ever since.
Their minor premiership last season was very fortunate and they had a lot of things fall their way throughout the season - and now that luck has evened out.
However, Ricky Stuart has got his side humming for one last push towards the finals, with the Raiders winning their last three games against Dragons, Bulldogs and Rabbitohs.
Not the strongest opposition and Canberra still have a bad habit of letting teams back into games, which they did again last week after going ahead 28-6 over Souths at half-time.
Kaeo Weekes crossed for a double, while second-rower Noah Martin scored his first try since a double in the opening round.
Wests Tigers Form
It's turned into another nightmare season for the Tigers, whose hopes of making the finals for the first time since 2011 have now gone up in smoke.
Similar to last year, it was a promising start to the year, but the Tigers just can't seem to escape drama and controversy.
Benji Marshall's side are currently riding a five-game losing streak, managing just 22 points in their last four.
It went from bad to worse last week, with the Tigers suffering a crushing 32-0 defeat to a Bulldogs side that had leaked 40 points to Canberra in the previous round.
If the Tigers are leaking 30+ points to one of the worst and most disjointed attacks in the competition, imagine what a spine featuring Weekes and Strange can do here.
Raiders vs Tigers Team News
A couple of big outs for Canberra, with Hudson Young gone for the season with an achilles injury and Owen Pattie serving a one-game suspension.
Tom Starling moves to hooker, with Jayden Brailey joining the bench. Zac Hosking goes to the second-row and Morgan Smithies starts at lock, with Matty Nicholson and Seb Kris joining the six-man bench.
Adam Doueihi has escaped suspension for the Tigers, but has been named on the bench, with young gun Javon Andrews at halfback.
No such luck for Latu Fainu, who was given a harsh three-game suspension for dangerous contact.
Lots of reshuffle in the backline, with Junior Tupou and Faaletino Tavana the new wingers, Patrick Herbert returning at centre and Heamasi Makasini dropped.
Ethan Roberts will start in the second-row, while Bunty Afoa returns from suspension on the pine.