BY VIV

A close loss last week shows the gap between the Raiders and the premiership favourites. However, before the Raiders can win the comp, they must knock over the Cronulla Sharks at GIO this Saturday afternoon. 12pm kickoff as part of a lime quadruple header because we really are in our brat girl winter. The Sharks are two-for-two to start the season and are looking to be one of the teams challenging for that 4th spot.

Last year these sides met, the Raiders lost 28-14 in their first-ever NRLW game. It was the first time the Raiders had played together which explained some of the clunkiness of that loss. More settled this time around, the Raiders should be able to put on a stronger performance.

Changes

None! Relna Wuruki-Hosea comes in as 18th woman instead of Georgia Willey but otherwise an unchanged side from last week. Reassuring as seeing Sophie Holyman on the sideline with a reported bicep injury had the potential to be a real dampener on the season.

The Opposition

The Sharks have had to shuffle the deck after Jada Taylor did her ACL last week. Tiana Penitani is in fullback, Rhiannon Byers covers Penitani’s centre spot, Vanessa Foliaki moves from the bench to the second row and Nakia Davis-Welsh moves onto the bench. The Raiders will do well to test the players out of position early.

There was news yesterday that 7s pioneer Sharni Smale has joined the Sharks for the rest of the season post-Olympic retirement. She’s not on the team list so hopefully a problem for Newcastle next week.

Match-ups

Mackenzie Wiki vs Annessa Biddle

I am salivating over this one. Annessa Biddle was the NRLW Rookie of the Year in 2023 with two tries, two try assists, 26 tackle breaks and second only to Shannon Mato for post-contact metres. The break-out season scored her a spot in the Kiwi Ferns for the Pacific Championship. Mackenzie Wiki has had a monster start to the season, scoring two tries and always looking like a threat with the ball. This going to be a good one.

Tommaya Kelly-Sines and Ellie Johnston

Tommaya Kelly-Sines had a quiet game last week and will need a strong start to win the battle in the middle. Ellie Johnston scored 6 tries for the Sharks last season and is hard to stop close to the line. 

Conclusion

Raiders by 10! We have more than enough class in our backline to put on some points this weekend. More starch in our defence will get this done for us.

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