Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 16 Preview

Round 16 of the Blumers Lawyers Canberra Raiders Cup is packed with high-stakes clashes, with finals looming large and every result set to shake up the ladder.

Queanbeyan Blues V Tuggeranong Bushrangers

3:00pm, Saturday 2nd August at Seiffert Oval

In this weekend's Match of the Round, the Queanbeyan Blues, host the fourth-placed Tuggeranong Bushrangers at Seiffert Oval.

The Queanbeyan Blues have led the comp for a few weeks now, but after a 14-12 loss to the Bulldogs last weekend, they’ll be looking to show up in a big way on Saturday.

Blues lock forward Jacob John indicated the side has look at the loss closely and identified areas where they can improve. 

"It was simple, we have done some things with [Jeremy Braun] at training, and he has shown us some things that we need to work on and little one percenter that we need to work on," John said. 

This year is John's first year at the Blues and having played 13 games with the club, the forward is feeling the love from his teammates. 

"The boys have brought me in like a brother and taken care of me."

The next two weeks shapes as a big fortnight for the Blues and with the race for the minor premiership heating up. 

"We can't get too comfortable, there is a few tough teams out there, we have got the Rams next week so that’s a big game for us as well, we can’t relax and just have to play hard every game."

The Tuggeranong Bushrangers sit back in fourth place with 14 points to their name, and a win here could see them leapfrog the Warriors and rise to third.

Their latest victory was against the two-time defending premiers at Seears Workwear Oval, with interchange forward Marcus Maletasi putting the win down to a team performance.

"Everyone has a role in this team, whether you’re on the bench or starting and we are just really proud to represent the jersey and do the south side of Tuggeranong proud," Maletasi said. 

The Bushrangers are looking for their eighth straight victory on the weekend and are wary of the pressure that comes with that and the team that stands in their way. 

"We are not getting too far ahead of ourselves, just taking it game by game at the moment, we have a big job this weekend against the Blues who are a good squad."

The stakes will be sky-high at Seiffert Oval, with the competition’s frontrunners out to reinforce their title credentials and the contenders battling to cement a place in the finals race.

Belconnen United Sharks V Queanbeyan Kangaroos

3:00pm, Saturday 2nd August at NSWRL HQ

The Belconnen United Sharks, one of the teams stuck in the mid-table logjam, will host the Queanbeyan Kangaroos at NSWRL HQ this Saturday afternoon to kick off round 16 of the Canberra Raiders Cup.

After a commanding 16-6 win against the Bulls last weekend, the Sharks will look to carry this momentum forward into their clash with the competition heavyweights.

With just three rounds remaining, every point counts – and the Sharks know a win here could give them crucial breathing room in the congested ladder.

Meanwhile, the Kangaroos fell to the Bushrangers 8-18 in round 15 and will be looking to put on a show on Saturday with finals fast approaching.

The Kangaroos will be looking to put the pressure on their cross-town rivals in the race of the minor premiership, while the Sharks are searching for back-to-back wins.

Woden Valley Rams V Gungahlin Bulls

3:00pm, Saturday 2nd August at Phillip Oval

The third match of the round sees a middle-table skirmish as the fifth-placed Woden Valley Rams host the sixth-placed Gungahlin Bulls at Phillip Oval.

The Rams will be feeling fresh after their round 15 bye, so expect a strong performance from the host side as they look to claw their way into the top four.

Meanwhile, the Bulls will be licking their wounds after last week’s loss to the Sharks, knowing Saturday’s clash is do-or-die as they fight to keep their finals hopes alive.

With spots in the top four on a knife’s edge, expect plenty of urgency, physicality, and perhaps a few fireworks as these two teams scrap it out for a shot at finals footy.

Goulburn City Bulldogs V West Belconnen Warriors

3:00pm, Saturday 2nd August at Workers Arena

After toppling the Blues last weekend, the Goulburn City Bulldogs have been afforded a glimmer of hope as the season crescendos. This weekend, with finals in the back of their mind, they’ll host the West Belconnen Warriors at Workers Arena to close out round 16.

The Bulldogs sit back at sixth place on the ladder, but with a bit of luck and all the effort in the world – three key wins could put them into the top four.

Meanwhile, the Warriors suffered a narrow loss to the Magpies last weekend which may put them on the backfoot going into this match.

The Warriors sit in third place with 15 points, but with three matches yet to come, their finals run isn’t secure just yet.