NSW Cup & Jersey Flegg: Finals Week 2 Preview

Fresh off an upset win, the NSW Cup Canberra Raiders will face off against the Parramatta Eels at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney in the second week of their finals campaign.

Despite a roster looted for NRL promotions, our Raiders emerged victorious against the incumbent premiers; the Newtown Jets at Jubilee Stadium last weekend in an electrifying 24-20 clash which ended the Jets’ season.

With an 18-0 halftime lead, the Raiders looked dominant across the park before a second half blitz from Newtown narrowed the margins and threatened to undo all their hard work.

However, the boys-maintained composure, and reined in the Jets thanks to a second half effort from second rower Jaxon Lavender and pinpoint conversions from skipper Braydan Darmody – who drained four from four off the boot.

Now the Raiders – who rose five ranks in seven weeks to finish fifth on the ladder – have battled tooth and nail to earn their spot in finals and will now pose a significant challenge to an Eels side coming off a narrow 24-18 loss to the Dragons.

The Eels have been a top four side since round five, showcasing their consistency over the course of the season. 

A win here will put the Raiders into the NSW Cup preliminary final against the loser of the Warriors v Dragons match played earlier Sunday afternoon.

Jersey Flegg Cup

Meanwhile, our Jersey Flegg boys return home from Sydney after a tough 16-12 loss to the Cronulla Shark at Jubilee Stadium.

After trailing 16-6 at halftime, the Raiders came within striking distance of the Sharks after a second half try from halfback Jamie Cowling but couldn’t close the gap against the second-placed sharks.

The boys should be commended for their efforts as a number of SG Ball players made their debut in the Flegg side due to roster-change shockwaves sent down the chain from the first-grade side.

This weekend, the Raiders go again with their season on the line against a Panthers side who finished fourth on the ladder and came out on top of the Eels 32-12 last weekend in the first round of finals.

A win here puts the squad into the 2025 Jersey Flegg Cup preliminary final against the loser of Sharks v Storm with a chance to claim the premiership.

The Raiders will name an unchanged lineup this weekend for the clash with Xavier Cacciotti steering the ship from the lock position.

After a hard-fought campaign, everything’s on the line for the Jersey Flegg Raiders as they kick-off this Sunday afternoon at 3:00pm at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney in a prelude to the NSW Cup game.