23 SATURDAY AUGUST 10th 2024 3:00pm GIO STADIUM, CANBERRA
In what will be celebrated as Josh Papali’i’s unofficial 300th NRL match, the Canberra Raiders will face off against the Manly Sea Eagles in Canberra.
Papali’i celebrated game 300 for the Raiders in last week’s 22-18 loss to the Bulldogs at Belmore, but this will be his first game on home soil and will be celebrated on Saturday afternoon.
Raiders to Host Four Games in One Day at GIO Stadium
It will also mark the first time the Raiders host four games in a single day, with their Jersey Flegg, NRLW, NSW Cup, and NRL teams all playing on the same ground. In team news, second-rower Zac Hosking will undergo surgery on his troublesome shoulder, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Despite efforts to rehabilitate the injury without surgery, the medical staff ultimately decided that surgery was necessary. Youngster Simi Sasagi will take Hosking’s spot on the bench, joining Cook, Mooney, and Mariota.
Raiders
1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Jordan Rapana 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage , 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine, 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies , 14. Adam Cook 15. Trey Mooney , 16. Ata Mariota 17. Simi Sasagi , 18. Albert Hopoate 19. Danny Levi 20. Corey Horsburgh , 21. Zac Woolford 22. Emre Guler
Sea Eagles Milestone: Karl Lawton’s 100th NRL Game
The Manly Sea Eagles have a milestone of their own to celebrate, with Karl Lawton reaching his 100th NRL game—a remarkable achievement, particularly for a forward.
Manly will be well-rested after last weekend’s bye and will be feeling confident, especially considering their last trip to Canberra resulted in a commanding 42-14 victory, where Tom Trbojevic had a field day, scoring a double.
Raiders vs Sea Eagles: A High-Scoring Affair?
Canberra managed to get some revenge earlier this season, staging a remarkable comeback from 20-0 down after 28 minutes to win 26-24 in a thrilling match under dreadful conditions at 4 Pines Park. This game clearly has the potential to be high-scoring and thoroughly entertaining.
The matchup to watch this Saturday will be Kaeo Weekes versus Tom Trbojevic. Weekes, who was released by Manly to join Canberra, has thrived in his new role, scoring six tries and assisting five others in his 12 games in green.
Then there is Tom Trbojevic, arguably the best fullback in the NRL when he is healthy, he has 10 tries and 14 try assists in 14 games this season showing how elite and dangerous he is. Canberra will need to neutralize his impact if they hope to replicate their heroics from 4 Pines Park.
Manly
1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tommy Talau 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Lehi Hopoate, 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Nathan Brown , 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Karl Lawton 13. Jake Trbojevic, 14. Gordon Chan Kum Tong, 15. Ben Trbojevic 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Toafofoa Sipley , 18. Corey Waddell 19. Clayton Faulalo , 20. Jamie Humphreys 21. Jake Simpkin 22. Dean Matterson
Raiders’ Final Push: Can They Secure a Top Eight Spot?
Canberra still has a mathematical chance of making the finals, but even the most devoted Raiders fan knows it will be a tough challenge. Manly are three points ahead of Canberra in seventh position so a win for them this Saturday pulls them five points away from a team trying to take their spot and almost secures a finals berth for them.
Referee. Grant Atkins ,Touch Judges, Drew Oultram, Tyson Brough, Bunker, Chris Butler
Key Stats and Milestones
The Raiders are targeting home and away victories over the Sea Eagles for the first time since 2016.
Sea Eagles fullback Tom Trbojevic has scored six tries in his last four games against the Raiders.
Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty has converted his last 20 goal attempts.
Sea Eagles hooker Karl Lawton will make his 100th NRL appearance.
Raiders second-rower Hudson Young has scored five tries in his last seven games at GIO Stadium.
Prediction.
The Raiders hurt their finals chances with a loss to the Bulldogs last week, while the Sea Eagles benefited from a bye. With Origin duties behind them and Tom Trbojevic back at fullback, it will be intriguing to see if the Sea Eagles can elevate their campaign and become serious finals contenders. This game could go either way, but if the Sea Eagles are the real deal, they should all but end the Raiders’ season.
I have gone back and fourth with the winner of this game. I originally picked Manly but now I am leaning towards the Raiders, then back to Manly.
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