Much like the rest of the NRL round this weekend, Sunday afternoon does not resemble its usual form. Just one game will occur, down in the nation’s capital with the Raiders hosting the Roosters. With Origin on the horizon, this game is an opportunity to ‘fill your boots’ ahead of Wednesday night and have some extra money in your kitty to invest there. This NRL Betting Preview will assist and stay tuned to Before You Bet as the Origin preview drops early next week.
Canberra Raiders vs Sydney Roosters
GIO Stadium, Sunday 5th June, 4:05pm (EST)
Squads
Canberra Raiders
1. Xavier Savage 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Matt Frawley 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Corey Horsburgh 9. Zac Woolford 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Adam Elliott Interchange: 14. Tom Starling 15. Ryan Sutton 16. Corey Harawira-Naera 17. Trey Mooney 18. James Schiller
Sydney Roosters
1. Joseph Manu 2. Billy Smith 3. Paul Momirovski 4. Kevin Naiqama 5. Joseph Suaalii 6. Sam Walker 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Drew Hutchinson 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 11. Angus Crichton 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Nat Butcher Interchange: 14. Connor Watson 15. Fletcher Baker 16. Egan Bitcher 17. Terrell May 18. Lachlan Lam
Match Preview
The Raiders were defeated 28-20 by the Eels last week but it was a much-improved effort compared to what they have dished up so far this year. There were positives and negatives in their effort; they made their opponents fight hard for victory but will be disappointed that they only managed 2-points in the second half. Moving forward, they will take plenty of confidence from that performance, mainly the 88% completion rate and over 10m per carry. The recent winning streak of the Raiders may have made others take note of their change in form.
The Roosters made a statement with their 36-16 victory over the Sharks at home. Heading into the game as outsiders, the Roosters resembled the favourites as they played with confidence and gave few opportunities to their opponents. More importantly, their spine looked comfortable and used the strong platform set by their forwards.
Both teams are missing strike players to Origin duty and will be desperate to cover the losses. There is no bigger loss than that of Tedesco (Roosters) and Wighton (Raiders), the leading players for their respective teams. Superstars remain in the Roosters line-up, justifying their favouritism ($1.58 v $2.40). Nevertheless, there appears to be a familiar mid-to-late season charge coming out of Canberra.
The inclusion of Fogarty at halfback added stability to their team and his influence upon this team will only improve. This game will be far closer than most think. The Raiders also have the chilly conditions in their favour and that often disrupts the momentum of most sides. Assuming they use that to their advantage, they can cause an upset. The safer option is the line though and then a win only adds to the confidence of your investment throughout the match.
Same Game Multi:
Either Team by Under 6.5 Points
Savage & Suaalii to Score
($10.00 at Ladbrokes)
Raiders +5.5
$1.90 (2.5 Units)
