Canberra Raiders Cup 2022: Round 3 Preview

The Blumers Lawyers Canberra Raiders Cup resumes after the Easter long weekend with round three headlining the rivalry clash between the Belconnen United Sharks and West Belconnen Warriors.

Match Of The Round: West Belconnen Warriors v Belconnen United Sharks, Raiders Belconnen 5pm Sunday 24th April

This weekend’s match of the round will feature the classic cross-town derby between the West Belconnen Warriors and Belconnen United Sharks, with both teams looking for back-to-back wins.

The Warriors are coming off the back of a bye week, but were victorious in their round one fixture, defeating the Gungahlin Bulls 33-30. 

The Sharks on the other hand will be looking to carry momentum from last week, when they defeated the Queanbeyan Roos 26-10 in front of their home fans in round two.

These two rivals last faced off in round nine last season with the Warriors coming out on top in a trilling six-point win. 

This will be added motivation for the Sharks to avenge their narrow loss in front of what is expected to be a larger than usual crowd at Raiders Belconnen on Sunday afternoon.

Woden Valley Rams v Tuggeranong Bushrangers, Phillip Oval 3pm Saturday 23rd April

Woden Valley enter this matchup undefeated through the opening two rounds and will look to extend their winning streak with a win at home over the Bushrangers.

The Rams handed the Yass Magpies a loss in their first match of the season in round two, with Woden Valley’s potent attack on full display in their 18-point victory. Their ability so far this year to control the momentum of a match will be key to their success come Saturday afternoon.

For Tuggeranong, a masterful clinic from Queanbeyan Blues captain-coach Terry Campese brought them undone, conceding their first loss of the year 32-20 in round two.

The Bushrangers have shown a lot of fight and seem to be riding off the back of a strong start to the season from front rower Zac Saddler. The versatile forward scored a try off a barnstorming run and challenged the Blues’ defence on a number of occasions.

It will be a tough game to try and get back in the winners column for Tuggeranong but if they can play near their best they will definitely have a chance.

Gungahlin Bulls v Queanbeyan Blues, Gungahlin Enclosed Oval 3pm Saturday 23rd April

It hasn’t been an ideal start to the season for the Gungahlin Bulls with two consecutive losses placing them down towards the bottom of the Canberra Raiders Cup ladder.

The Bulls were demolished by a red hot Goulburn side who flew out to a 16-point lead in the first 20 minutes. It took until the 26th minute for Gungahlin to register their first of only three tries highlighting their struggles in attack.

However, the Bulls only just fell short of a round one victory against the West Belconnen Warriors, but have conceded an astonishing combined total of 81 points on the season.

On the other hand for the Queanbeyan Blues, the start to the season has been one they can be proud of. They suffered a 10-point loss at the hands of Woden Valley who remain undefeated and put on an impressive performance against Tuggeranong in round two.

This is a real chance for the Blues to secure back to back wins against a struggling Bulls outfit.

Goulburn City Bulldogs v Yass Magpies, Workers Arena 3pm Sunday 24th April

The Goulburn City Bulldogs have looked like the team to beat through the opening two rounds of the season, recording back to back 24-plus point victories.

The Bulldogs started the year with a convincing 38-14 win over the Sharks and followed it up with a 48-16 thrashing over the Gungahlin Bulls. Goulburn City’s lethal attack seems to be what they’re building their games off the back of in order to establish early scoreboard pressure.

For the Yass Magpies, a 40-22 loss against the Rams wasn’t how they wanted to start their season. But, it should better prepare them to take on another undefeated team. 

The Magpies showed a lot of grit in their opening game of the season, coming within four points of Woden Valley late in the second half.

This will be a difficult challenge for Yass but win or lose this will make them ready to take on any side in the Canberra Raiders Cup competition.