Canberra Raiders Cup: Round Two Preview

Round Two of the Blumers Lawyers Canberra Raiders Cup competition kicks off on Saturday and Sunday with exciting matchups after Round One.

West Belconnen Warriors vs Woden Valley Rams, 3:00pm, Sunday at Raiders Belconnen

This week's Match of the Round is the West Belconnen Warriors at home against the Woden Valley Rams on Sunday in the traditional Brad Hardy Memorial Cup.

The Warriors are coming off a tough defeat to the Magpies last start, with club captain Brandon Withers declaring the side needs to improve on their errors which plagued them in their defeat to Yass in the opening game of the season. 

"It was a really disappointing start to the year, they came out to play, and they are always tough to play out there," Withers said. 

"On Tuesday we went through our review and we over the things that we need to be better in, we had too many errors and they were more eager to the ball."

During the off season the Warriors changed their head coach with Peter Marrapodi taking over from Ryan McQueen with Withers saying the change has brought professionalism into the club. 

"Marra [Peter Marrapodi] is completely different, he is very professional with what he does, he spent time in the Raiders system for a number of years, and he is a man that you don't want to let down."

For the Warriors, they are aware that this weekend is the Rams first game of the season, however, are focused on themselves first. 

"We've got to sort a few things out before we look at other things, I think it's there sixtieth year, so it's going to be a big year for them."

"They are going to be looking to come out firing, and we will be ready for them come Sunday."

Meanwhile for the Rams, they had the weekend of last weekend and whilst many clubs would be annoyed with the Round One bye, Woden Valley used it as a positive according to Tom Scrivener. 

"It's actually been really good, a little bit of a longer preseason but it's good to see where everyone is starting out from and we get a few more clues heading into our Round One match up this week," Scrivener said. 

For the Rams, local juniors Daine Spencer and Sean Maloney lead the club in their sixtieth season with the entire club banding behind them. 

"It's been good and super positive, the whole club has gotten around them, as well as our assistant coach who has been doing a good job leading from the front to allow those boys to get a solid training in as well."

With the recruiting of former Rams John Papalii and Atu Tupou, the Warriors have bolstered their middle with this going to be a key focus for the visitors. 

"They've got a very big pack, and we are the opposite a lot smaller and a little bit more agile, we've got to weather that storm nice and early and then hopefully run around them at get them on the edges." 

The Warriors and Rams will play off the for the traditional Brad Hardy Memorial Cup on Sunday, adding another level to an exciting matchup. 

Belconnen United Sharks vs Tuggeranong Bushrangers, 3:00pm, Saturday at NSWRL HQ Bruce

The Belconnen United Sharks are up against the Tuggeranong Bushrangers in a defensive match-up this Saturday.

The Bushrangers are coming from behind after starting the season off with a tough loss to the Queanbeyan Kangaroos. The game marked the preliminary final rematch from last season, and a great start from the Bushrangers put them 16-6 at halftime. The game turned around in the second half, with their defence failing to stop five Kangaroo tries and going down 30-16.

Meanwhile, the Sharks attack was dominant against the Blues last Saturday, scoring seven tries to claim the victory. Tristan Eldridge and Regan Carr walked away with a double each and will pose a threat to the Bushrangers’ edge defence.

The Sharks attack will be a tough challenge for the Bushrangers, who will need to maintain their solid defence for a full 80 minutes to take home the win.

Goulburn City Bulldogs vs Queanbeyan Blues, 3:00pm, Saturday at Workers Arena

The Goulburn City Bulldogs are back at Workers Arena on Saturday to battle last season’s champions, the Queanbeyan Blues.

The Bulldogs took down the Gungahlin Bulls 26-16 last week and aim to achieve two wins at home to kickstart their season. The new winger Tomasi Bikaca showcased his impact, scoring two tries on debut to help secure the win.

The Queanbeyan Blues have fallen to the bottom of the ladder after winning the Grand Final last season. Round One saw the Sharks conquer the Blues 36-16 at Seiffert Oval, with fear surrounding Queanbeyan’s defence. Komiti Tuilagi was a star player in the game, responsible for all three tries from the second row.

The Blues are looking to regain their position in the competition, while the Bulldogs look primed and ready to go two from two at home.

Yass Magpies vs Queanbeyan Kangaroos, 3:00pm, Saturday at Walker Park

The Yass Magpies face the Queanbeyan Kangaroos at home in a fierce game, with both sides coming off big round one wins.

Last season’s wooden spooners, the Magpies, crushed the West Belconnen Warriors 38-24 in a massive upset. Cody Bell played a huge part in carrying his team to victory by scoring a hattrick and revealing the hard work this side has put into the preseason.

The Kangaroos have come into the season with an attacking edge, claiming victory over the Tuggeranong Bushrangers with a 30-16 win in a second-half comeback. Captain Coach Adam Quinlan made a huge impact, assisting in all five comeback tries and scoring one for himself.

It is last season’s most wins against the least, and possibly the tightest match-up of the round.