Canberra Raiders Cup: Round Six Preview
Round Six of the Blumers Lawyers Canberra Raiders Cup competition is underway on Saturday, 23rd May, with the matches kicking off at 3pm.
Queanbeyan Kangaroos vs Belconnen United Sharks, Saturday 23rd May 3:00PM, Seears Workwear Oval
The Queanbeyan Kangaroos will face the Belconnen United Sharks at home in a turning point match. Both teams are coming into this match-up undefeated, with the Roos sitting first at 5-0 and the Sharks second at 4-0.
The Kangaroos continued their perfect run last week with a 22-12 win over the Rams, with Queanbeyan centre Lucas Thomson stating it was an arm wrestle.
"We started off really well and they came out in the second half and scored two tries which really woke us up there," Thomson said.
"They came out firing and we switched off there for a period and we felt like we had to win the game back again."
Whilst the Kangaroos attack hasn't been at its clinic best so far this year, their defensive line has been a key feature of their season, with no team scoring more than 16 points against the side.
"We haven't scored a heap of points but the positive is we are defending relatively low totals."
Thomson is aware of the dangers that their opponents pose, with the centre making the declaration that they deserve to be top of the table.
"We've just been scarping away at the moment, and I think the Sharks have been way more convincing than us and if wasn't for the fact that they've had a bye already than they'd be on top of the ladder."
Meanwhile the Sharks were equally impressive in round five, crushing the Bulldogs 38-18 at home, with co-coach Adam Kyle particularly pleased with his sides defense.
"The most pleasing part is that we were up 22-6 at half time and we spoke about putting more consistency together with our performance," Kyle said.
The Sharks have started the season with a 4-0 record, with Kyle putting this down to the standards the side set in the pre-season, particularly around their fitness and accountability, with this being attributed to the perfect start to the season.
"We set some good boundaries and standards at the start of the season as a team, the players worked really hard and we spoke about fitness being a key component of that."
"We've acknowledged that good is good, but we want to be great and in order to do that you need to be accountable and that's both as players and a coaching staff."
Tristan Eldridge and Regan Carr have been fierce in their attack, each scoring five tries across their four games.
While the Roos are strong in their defence, the Sharks dominate in their ability to score points, with 36 points being their lowest score this season.
With two unbeaten sides going head‑to‑head, one team will walk away with their first loss of the season, and the other will prove they can go all the way.
Goulburn City Bulldogs vs Woden Valley Rams, Saturday 23rd May 3:00PM, Workers Arena
The Goulburn City Bulldogs come up against the Woden Valley Rams at Workers Arena, with both teams looking to recover from a loss last week.
The Bulldogs sit seventh on the ladder with one win from four games after their 38-18 defeat to the Sharks in round five.
Shammah Tiumalu was a standout in that match, scoring two of the team’s three tries, and will be a key attacking threat as he comes up against his form side in the Rams.
The Rams enter the match in third place with three wins and one loss. Their narrow 22-12 defeat to the undefeated Kangaroos last week revealed their competitiveness against the first-place side.
Woden Valley will need to fill the void of Josh Fattore, who leads the competition with 57 total points this season, who will missing this match through injury.
With both teams desperate for a comeback, this matchup promises competitiveness and excitement for Goulburn City.
Gungahlin Bulls vs Queanbeyan Blues, Saturday 23rd May 3:00PM, Gungahlin Enclosed Oval
The Gungahlin Bulls return home after securing their first win of the season in a dominant 42-16 performance over the Warriors, for a matchup against the Queanbeyan Blues.
Now sitting sixth on the ladder, the Bulls will look to build on that momentum and deliver another strong performance for their home crowd.
Kane Allan’s hat‑trick last week and Ryan Grocott’s reliable kicking will be crucial once again to mirror their attacking edge from last week.
The Queanbeyan Blues come into this matchup fresh off a bye and sitting fourth with two wins and two losses.
Their last match-up saw them claiming a 32-6 victory over the Warriors in round four. Jamie Mazzarol‑Kotz remains one of the biggest threats in the competition, leading all try scorers with six tries from four games.
The Bulls will face a well-rested side while the Blues must prepare to put up a defensive fight. Both teams will enter this game with confidence from their victories and will aim to capitalise on the momentum.
West Belconnen Warriors vs Tuggeranong Bushrangers, Saturday 23rd May 3:00PM, Raiders Belconnen
Closing out Round Six at Raiders Belconnen is the West Belconnen Warriors up against the Tuggeranong Bushrangers.
The Warriors return home after a tough 42-16 loss to the Bulls in round five. Sitting eighth on the ladder with one win from five games, the Warriors will be looking for a chance to climb back up the ladder.
Willie Peace’s two tries last week will provide the Warriors with an opportunity to build on and take control early.
The Tuggeranong Bushrangers enter the round in fifth place after a strong 26-10 win over the Magpies. With two wins from five games, the Bushrangers are beginning to find momentum and don’t look like slowing down.
With the Warriors desperate for a win and the Bushrangers finally gaining momentum, this matchup is set to be competitive.
