Playing at Leichhardt Oval for the first time in 2015, Wests Tigers will look to pick up another two competition points when they take on the Canberra Raiders.
A trip across the Tasman last week produced a spirited second half comeback by Jason Taylor’s side, but not enough to snatch a victory away from the hosts, who emerged with a 32-22 scoreline that didn’t reflect how close the match truly was.
They’ll be looking to bounce back this week against a Raiders side that they’ve had the better of in recent years, but one that has improved out of sight this year under Ricky Stuart and new halves pairing in former Wests Tigers player Blake Austin and Sam Williams.
Sitting in 15th position, the Raiders were unlucky not to get the two points last week against Melbourne and perhaps even in a few other matches this season, and will be keen to ensure they don’t leave Sydney empty-handed this time around.
Who will emerge from the suburban Sydney ground with the two points in hand? Read on for a full match preview including all the key statistics, team news and much more.
There's NOTHING quite like a packed hill! Be there on Sunday, April 19 when we take on the Canberra Raiders at Leichhardt Oval!
Match Details
Date — Sunday, April 19, 2015
Time — 2:00pm (Gates open 11:40am)
Venue — Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Match Officials
Referees — Henry Perenara
Touch Judges — Chris Sutton and Anthony Eliott
Video Referees — Matt Cecchin and Luke Patten
TV, Live Stream and Radio Information
TV — Live coverage via Fox Sports 1 (Ch. 501)
Radio — AM 702 ABC Grandstand and AM 873 2GB Sydney (check local guides)
Live Stream — Live via Foxtel Go and NRL Digital Pass (subscription required)
Tickets and Membership
Click here to become a Leichhardt Oval Member and get entry to all games for $115!
Tickets are available for purchase via Ticketek (click here), with GA starting at $26.
Confirmed Squads
Wests Tigers |
|
Canberra Raiders |
James Tedesco |
1 |
Jack Wighton |
Kevin Naiqama |
2 |
Edrick Lee |
Tim Simona |
3 |
Jarrod Croker (capt.) |
Chris Lawrencre |
4 |
Sisa Waqa |
Pat Richards |
5 |
Jeremy Hawkins |
Mitchell Moses |
6 |
Blake Austin |
Luke Brooks |
7 |
Sam Williams |
Aaron Woods |
8 |
Josh Papalii |
Robbie Farah (capt.) |
9 |
Josh Hodgson |
Keith Galloway |
10 |
Dane Tilse |
Curtis Sironen |
11 |
Jarrad Kennedy |
Kyle Lovett |
12 |
Iosia Soliola |
Martin Taupau |
13 |
Shaun Fensom |
Dene Halatau |
14 |
Glen Buttriss |
Ava Seumanufagai |
15 |
Frank-Paul Nuuausala |
Jack Buchanan |
16 |
Paul Vaughan |
Sauaso Sue |
17 |
Mark Nicholls |
Joel Luani |
18 |
Jordan Rapana |
Jason Taylor |
Coach |
Ricky Stuart |
Again, no changes for Jason Taylor's side from last week, with hooker Joel Luani included on an extended interchange bench. For the Raiders, Shaun Fensom and Josh Hodgson have been named despite suffering what looked to be serious injuries last week, while outside back Jordan Rapana comes on to an extended interchange bench as well.
2015 Recent Results
Wests Tigers
R2 — Wests Tigers 22 def. St. George-Illawarra Dragons 4
R3 — South Sydney Rabbitohs 20 def. Wests Tigers 6
R4 — Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 25 def. Wests Tigers 24
R5 — Wests Tigers 22 def. Parramatta Eels 6
R6 — New Zealand Warriors 32 def. Wests Tigers 22
Canberra Raiders
R2 — New Zealand Warriors 18 def. Canberra Raiders 6
R3 — St. George-Illawarra Dragons 22 def. Canberra Raiders 20
R4 — Sydney Roosters 34 def. Canberra Raiders 6
R5 — Canberra Raiders 29 def. Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16
R6 — Melbourne Storm 14 def. Canberra Raiders 10
Match History
· Against the Raiders — Played 28, Won 17, Lost 11
· At Leichhardt Oval — Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1
Three Key Facts
- Wests Tigers have won 10 of their past 12 games against the Raiders
- Aaron Woods leads the league with an average of 216 metres per game
- Jarrad Kennedy ranks second in the league for missed tackles with 25 this year
2015 Key Player Stats
|
Wests Tigers |
Canberra Raiders |
Most points |
Pat Richards (51 points) |
Jarrod Croker (42 points) |
Most hit-ups |
Aaron Woods (96 hit-ups) |
Paul Vaughan (88 hit-ups) |
Most metres |
Aaron Woods (1077 metres) |
Paul Vaughan (971 metres) |
Most tackles |
Robbie Farah (267 tackles) |
Shaun Fensom (269 tackles) |