Sitting two points clear atop the NRL ladder, the Toyota Forklifts Canberra Raiders seek to secure their throne this Sunday as they defend their territory against the Newcastle Knights at GIO Stadium Canberra.
Last Sunday’s clash against the Parramatta Eels saw the Raiders put up 12 points in the first six minutes of the match thanks to quick tries from Jed Stuart and Zac Hosking.
However, the clash turned steady as the Eels fired back and sent Canberra to the sheds down 16-12 before a grinding second-half comeback saw the Green Machine take home a comfortable 40-16 win.
Meanwhile, the Knights suffered a last-minute loss to the New Zealand Warriors at McDonald Jones Stadium after a wayward charge-down landed in the hands of Warriors’ rookie Leka Halasima who ran 60 metres to score on the buzzer.
This loss keeps the Knights back in 14th place with 16 points to their name; which they’ll have etched in their brains this weekend as they battle to keep their season alive.
This weekend, Canberra will search for their ninth win in a row; and with finals footy looming and a minor premiership within reach – the Raiders won’t be taking the visitors lightly as they seek to put on a strong performance in the nation’s capital.
Talking Points:
- Simi Sasagi comes into the starting lineup at centre to replace Sebastian Kris, who suffered a concussion last Saturday against the Eels
- The Raiders have won seven from eight at GIO Stadium this season.
- Knights’ winger Greg Marzhew has scored 5 tries in his past 5 games against the Raiders.
- Noah Martin comes onto the interchange at second row for his fourth appearance in the NRL
- Dane Gagai returns at fullback for the Knights in the absence of Kalyn Ponga
- The last time the Raiders had a nine-game winning streak was in 1994, the year they won their third premiership.
Last time they met:
Last time these two teams met, the Raiders beat the Knights 22-18 at McDonald Jones stadium in Newcastle during round 17, 2025.
Key Match-Up
Jed Stuart v Dominic Young
In just four NRL appearances, rookie Jed Stuart has already logged four tries on the left wing.
Replacing Savelio Tamale late in the season after a nasty kneecap injury, Jed Stuart is a testament to the depth of the 2025 Raiders’ squad which boasts versatility in players like Stuart, the multi-positional Simi Sasangi and a pack of forwards who can essentially play any position in the frontlines.
In his round 16 debut game against the Tigers, Ricky Stuart’s flesh and blood ran for 100 metres and scored within 18 minutes in what was another notch in the Green Machine’s belt.
But his standout appearance came last weekend during the gruelling clash with Parramatta where Stuart logged three line breaks, a try assist and his first career double whilst running for 116 metres.
Prior to round 16, Stuart has been carving it up in the NSW cup – proving himself to be lethal on the left edge with an average of 95 running metres and an additional four tries this season.
Lining up inside him on the left edge is Simi Sasagi, whose rock-solid defence boasts a 93% tackle efficiency this season and will be key to shoring up any gaps.
Standing 200cm tall and weighing in at 97kg, Dominic Young will face off against Jed Stuart as he takes his place on Newcastle’s right wing after a half-season spent at the Roosters.
Young is no stranger to the red zone, scoring 25 tries in 23 games for the Knights when he last played for the club in 2023.
Since rejoining Knights, he’s scored three tries in four games and averaged 139 running metres and will no doubt look to cause some havoc on the Raiders’ left edge.
But Stuart should be more than capable of holding his own, as the Raiders have not lost a game with the young gun starting. Combined with a Knights outfit featuring a rookie centre in Fletcher Hunt partnering the English national, Stuart will be eager for the test ahead.
Head-to-head:
Since 1998, the Raiders have played the Knights 49 times, winning 23 and drawing 2 of them for a 46.9% efficiency rate.
