Oracle of Delphi
KC Hill
Arnold
Paladin
Craig HillRound 11 preview - Raiders vs Dragons
May 25th 2007 00:49
VENUE and TIME: Canberra Stadium, Friday night - 19:30 AEST
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 12, Raiders 6 , Dragons 5, drawn 1
COVERAGE: Channel 9, ABC Radio (NSW & ACT)
LAST TIME: Raiders 31 - Dragons 12 at Canberra Stadium, round 20, 2006
MEDICAL ROOM:
The Raiders have a host of backline talent currently unavailable, with Matt Bickerstaff (knee), Phil Graham (leg), Colin Best (neck), Brett Kelly (ankle) and David Howell all out with long term injuries. Add to that the suspension of maligned half Todd Carney for disciplinary reasons, and the Raiders backline stocks are threadbare.
St George-Illawarra find themselves in the same position however, with creative backs Mark Gasnier (pectoral) and Wes Naiqama (knee) out for the season, while Luke McDougall (ankle), Chase Stanley (thumb) and Tom Hewitt (hamstring) are all sidelined indefinitely.. The pressure will be on for NSW Origin representative centre Matt Cooper to back up less than 48 hours after the Blues Origin loss.
FORM:
Canberra will start slight favourites for this encounter, with the Raiders being slightly more consistent in season 2007. The Raiders head into this clash having won four from ten so far this season, but it is the Canberra defence that will be causing coach Neil Henry most concern. The Raiders currently have the worst defensive record in the league, with their goal line defence leaking 30 tries so far, and this will be one area that Henry needs to address ahead of Friday nigh’ts match.
St George-Illawarra coach Nathan Brown will be hoping that the Dragons win over the Gold Coast Titans last weekend will have kick-started his sides 2007 campaign, with the comprehensive victory over the new club even more impressive considering their injury crisis. Matthew Head and Simon Woolford are just starting to get their match fitness back after lengthy injury spells, and the signs were there last Friday that the Dragons may well be on the march back.
KEY MATCH-UPS:
Alan Tongue vs Ben Creagh
With the New South Wales forward pack completely outplayed in Origin Game 1, expect these two talented locks to come out with all guns blazing.
The Raiders skipper is the catalyst behind most of Canberra’s victories, with the red-headed lock currently in career best form. Tongue is a tireless defender, cleaning up many dangerous situations with his dogged defence, but it is his recent upgrade in his attacking game that has seen him be bandied about for Origin selection.
Creagh is another in a long line of talented Dragons forwards, with the lanky number 13 possessing the ball skills and rugged ball running style that would not go out of place at Origin level.
William Zillman vs Ben Hornby
As both teams possess quality halves that have the innate ability to boot 40/20’s, the positional play of these two talented custodians will benefit their respective teams going forward.
Zillman has impressed in limited opportunities at the back this year, with the young fullback showing the speed and flair that should see him cement the Canberra number one jersey for many years to come. Safe under the high ball, and always in the right position in defence, Zillman is among a long list of quality fullbacks who can score a try from anywhere on the paddock.
Having played the utility position for much of the past two seasons, Dragons skipper Hornby will relish the opportunity of being able to finally concentrate on playing his own game from the back on Friday night. With Head and Young slowly forming a dangerous combination in the halves, Hornby can now pick and choose when he injects himself into the play.
VERDICT:
It remains to be seen how the off-field distractions of the troubled Todd Carney will affect the young Canberra team, but without Carney in the halves, the Raiders’ lose a potent attacking weapon. With Head and Young slowly starting to find some much needed cohesion with ball in hand, the Dragons should have too much firepower.
Dragons by 12.
Canberra Raiders
William Zillman, David Milne, Marshall Chalk, Adrian Purtell, Bronx Goodwin, Terry Campese, Michael Dobson, Scott Logan, Lincoln Withers, Dane Tilse, Neville Costigan, Glen Turner, Alan Tongue (c)
Bench:
Josh Miller, Troy Thompson, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Michael Weyman, Trevor Thurling, Ben Jones
St George-Illawarra Dragons
Ben Hornby (c), Jason Nightingale, Keith Lulia, Matt Cooper, Josh Morris, Dean Young, Mathew Head, Justin Poore, Simon Woolford, Jason Ryles (c), Ashton Sims, Beau Scott, Ben Creagh
Bench:
Adam Peek, Danny Wicks, Corey Payne, Ben Ellis, Sam Isemonger, Dan Hunt
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 12, Raiders 6 , Dragons 5, drawn 1
COVERAGE: Channel 9, ABC Radio (NSW & ACT)
LAST TIME: Raiders 31 - Dragons 12 at Canberra Stadium, round 20, 2006
MEDICAL ROOM:
The Raiders have a host of backline talent currently unavailable, with Matt Bickerstaff (knee), Phil Graham (leg), Colin Best (neck), Brett Kelly (ankle) and David Howell all out with long term injuries. Add to that the suspension of maligned half Todd Carney for disciplinary reasons, and the Raiders backline stocks are threadbare.
St George-Illawarra find themselves in the same position however, with creative backs Mark Gasnier (pectoral) and Wes Naiqama (knee) out for the season, while Luke McDougall (ankle), Chase Stanley (thumb) and Tom Hewitt (hamstring) are all sidelined indefinitely.. The pressure will be on for NSW Origin representative centre Matt Cooper to back up less than 48 hours after the Blues Origin loss.
FORM:
Canberra will start slight favourites for this encounter, with the Raiders being slightly more consistent in season 2007. The Raiders head into this clash having won four from ten so far this season, but it is the Canberra defence that will be causing coach Neil Henry most concern. The Raiders currently have the worst defensive record in the league, with their goal line defence leaking 30 tries so far, and this will be one area that Henry needs to address ahead of Friday nigh’ts match.
St George-Illawarra coach Nathan Brown will be hoping that the Dragons win over the Gold Coast Titans last weekend will have kick-started his sides 2007 campaign, with the comprehensive victory over the new club even more impressive considering their injury crisis. Matthew Head and Simon Woolford are just starting to get their match fitness back after lengthy injury spells, and the signs were there last Friday that the Dragons may well be on the march back.
KEY MATCH-UPS:
Alan Tongue vs Ben Creagh
With the New South Wales forward pack completely outplayed in Origin Game 1, expect these two talented locks to come out with all guns blazing.
The Raiders skipper is the catalyst behind most of Canberra’s victories, with the red-headed lock currently in career best form. Tongue is a tireless defender, cleaning up many dangerous situations with his dogged defence, but it is his recent upgrade in his attacking game that has seen him be bandied about for Origin selection.
Creagh is another in a long line of talented Dragons forwards, with the lanky number 13 possessing the ball skills and rugged ball running style that would not go out of place at Origin level.
William Zillman vs Ben Hornby
As both teams possess quality halves that have the innate ability to boot 40/20’s, the positional play of these two talented custodians will benefit their respective teams going forward.
Zillman has impressed in limited opportunities at the back this year, with the young fullback showing the speed and flair that should see him cement the Canberra number one jersey for many years to come. Safe under the high ball, and always in the right position in defence, Zillman is among a long list of quality fullbacks who can score a try from anywhere on the paddock.
Having played the utility position for much of the past two seasons, Dragons skipper Hornby will relish the opportunity of being able to finally concentrate on playing his own game from the back on Friday night. With Head and Young slowly forming a dangerous combination in the halves, Hornby can now pick and choose when he injects himself into the play.
VERDICT:
It remains to be seen how the off-field distractions of the troubled Todd Carney will affect the young Canberra team, but without Carney in the halves, the Raiders’ lose a potent attacking weapon. With Head and Young slowly starting to find some much needed cohesion with ball in hand, the Dragons should have too much firepower.
Dragons by 12.
Canberra Raiders
William Zillman, David Milne, Marshall Chalk, Adrian Purtell, Bronx Goodwin, Terry Campese, Michael Dobson, Scott Logan, Lincoln Withers, Dane Tilse, Neville Costigan, Glen Turner, Alan Tongue (c)
Bench:
Josh Miller, Troy Thompson, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Michael Weyman, Trevor Thurling, Ben Jones
St George-Illawarra Dragons
Ben Hornby (c), Jason Nightingale, Keith Lulia, Matt Cooper, Josh Morris, Dean Young, Mathew Head, Justin Poore, Simon Woolford, Jason Ryles (c), Ashton Sims, Beau Scott, Ben Creagh
Bench:
Adam Peek, Danny Wicks, Corey Payne, Ben Ellis, Sam Isemonger, Dan Hunt
| 42 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
Go to Craig Hill's home page by clicking here
