Raiders v Wests Tigers: Hosking's new role; Api to start
The Raiders are out to continue their late-season resurgence when they host a desperate Wests Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
Ricky Stuart's men have kept their finals hopes alive with three-straight victories and are eager to keep stringing wins together in the run to the finals.
The Raiders have been dealt a blow with Hudson Young rupturing his Achilles last weekend but Ethan Strange remains one of the most dangerous playmakers in the game and Joe Tapine continues to lead from the front.
Canberra will need to be at their best to topple the Tigers, who are also fighting to keep their finals hopes alive.
Benji Marshall's men have struggled in recent weeks but claimed an impressive victory over the Raiders at Leichhardt Oval earlier this season and will look to emulate that performance on Saturday afternoon.
Outgoing five-eighth Jarome Luai has promised to deliver for the club before his departure and his battle with Strange shapes as an entertaining contest between two free-running halves.
Match: Raiders v Wests Tigers
Round 21 -
home Team
Raiders
12th Position
away Team
Wests Tigers
14th Position
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Team News
Raiders: With Owen Pattie serving a one-game suspension, Tom Starling starts the game at hooker and Jayden Brailey joins the bench. The loss of Hudson Young to a season-ending Achilles injury sees Zac Hosking slide to second row and Morgan Smithies line up at lock. Englishman Matty Nicholson (shoulder) has been added to the six-man bench for his first appearance of 2026 while Seb Kris also joins the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Wests Tigers: Adam Doueihi and Latu Fainu were listed among the reserves pending their judiciary hearings on Tuesday night. Fainu was found guilty of a Grade 3 Dangerous Contact charge and has been banned for three games while Doueihi had his Careless High Tackle charge downgraded and will take his place against the Raiders. Rising star Javon Andrews had been named at halfback pending Doueihi's hearing. Patrick Herbert returns from a shoulder injury in the centres while Sunia Turuva moves from wing to centre. Junior Tupou and Faaletino Tavana are the new wingers. Star To'a moves to the interchange and Heamasi Makasini drops to the reserves. Skipper Api Koroisau is back in the starting side after coming off the bench last week. Ethan Roberts has been promoted to start in the back row with Sione Fainu going to the bench. Prop Bunty Afoa is back from a suspension on the bench.
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Raiders is number 1 Kaeo WeekesFullback for Wests Tigers is number 1 Jahream Bula
-
Winger for Raiders is number 2 Jed StuartWinger for Wests Tigers is number 2 Junior Tupou
-
Centre for Raiders is number 3 Simi SasagiCentre for Wests Tigers is number 3 Sunia Turuva
-
Centre for Raiders is number 4 Matthew TimokoCentre for Wests Tigers is number 4 Patrick Herbert
-
Winger for Raiders is number 5 Xavier SavageWinger for Wests Tigers is number 5 Faaletino Tavana
-
Five-Eighth for Raiders is number 6 Ethan StrangeFive-Eighth for Wests Tigers is number 6 Jarome Luai
-
Halfback for Raiders is number 7 Ethan SandersHalfback for Wests Tigers is number 7 Javon Andrews
Forwards
-
Prop for Raiders is number 8 Corey HorsburghProp for Wests Tigers is number 8 Terrell May
-
Hooker for Raiders is number 9 Tom StarlingHooker for Wests Tigers is number 9 Apisai Koroisau
-
Prop for Raiders is number 10 Joseph TapineProp for Wests Tigers is number 10 Fonua Pole
-
2nd Row for Raiders is number 11 Zac Hosking2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 11 Samuela Fainu
-
2nd Row for Raiders is number 12 Noah Martin2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 12 Ethan Roberts
-
Lock for Raiders is number 13 Morgan SmithiesLock for Wests Tigers is number 13 Alex Twal
Interchange
-
Interchange for Raiders is number 14 Jayden BraileyInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 14 Jared Haywood
-
Interchange for Raiders is number 15 Ata MariotaInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 15 Sione Fainu
-
Interchange for Raiders is number 16 Josh PapaliiInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 16 Alex Seyfarth
-
Interchange for Raiders is number 17 Daine LaurieInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 17 Bunty Afoa
-
Interchange for Raiders is number 18 Matty NicholsonInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 18 Starford To'a
-
Interchange for Raiders is number 19 Sebastian KrisInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 19 Jock Madden
Reserves
-
Reserve for Raiders is number 20 Coby BlackReserve for Wests Tigers is number 20 Heamasi Makasini
-
Reserve for Raiders is number 21 Vena Patuki-CaseReserve for Wests Tigers is number 21 Latu Fainu
-
Reserve for Raiders is number 22 Sione FinauReserve for Wests Tigers is number 22 Adam Doueihi
Raiders Ins
- Coby Black
- Jayden Brailey
- Matty Nicholson
- Sebastian Kris
- Sione Finau
- Vena Patuki-Case
Wests Tigers Ins
- Bunty Afoa
- Javon Andrews
- Jock Madden
- Junior Tupou
- Patrick Herbert
Raiders Outs
- Hudson Young
- Owen Pattie
- Savelio Tamale
Wests Tigers Ins
- Jeral Skelton
- Kit Laulilii
Match Officials
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated:
Stat Attack
- The Raiders have won 10 of their last 12 games against the Tigers.
- Wests Tigers have not won at GIO Stadium since 2018.
- The Raiders have scored 98 points in three consecutive wins.
- The Tigers have not defeated the Raiders twice in a season since 2011.
- The Raiders have won only one of their last five games without Hudson Young.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
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