BY VIV

The “We Didn’t Think About Women in Sport When We Named Our Team Shield” is up for grabs when the Raiders and Cowboys meet at GIO Stadium this Saturday. Both teams are in a position where they have to win all their remaining games to consider finals. This season is turning out to be a reality check for the Raiders. Other teams have started to work us out and turn the defensive screws. While it is only season two, its not unreasonable to want your side in finals and to have that expectation with the talent that we have.

The Cowboys will be full of confidence after a golden-point victory against the Titans last weekend. They’ve got NRLW Winger of the Year Jakiya Whitfeld in the backs and a forward pack with the experience of Tallisha Harden supported by the youth of Essay Banu and China Polata. Origin prop Mackenzie Weale comes off the bench. Their halfback is Kirra Dibb who was extremely unlucky to miss out on Origin this year. 

Team List

The Raiders were forced into some changes after Monalisa Soliola hurt her shoulder. Kere Matua starts in the second row and Relna Wuruki-Hosea comes onto the bench. Shak Tungai makes way for Alanna Dummett. The NRL team list makes it sound like Dummett is returning from a head knock but she has been busy playing for Mounties in Harvey Norman Cup scoring two tries last weekend in their win over Manly. 

The Wuruki-Hosea selection is interesting, as we reported in round one, she’s a winger that played for Easts in BMD. 12 tries in 7 games for Easts this year and selection in the Queensland under-19s squad so she is a skilled young player. However, it means our bench is: Barnes (hooker), Kemp (prop), Naitokatoka (utility) and Wuruki-Hosea (outside back). Given our struggles with fitness this season, the choice to only carry one out and out forward is interesting and I am interested to see how the bench is used. 

Last weekend, Sophie Holyman and Grace Kemp both played over 50 minutes but Tommaya Kelly-Sines only had one 17-minute stint. I can see the benefits of versatility on the bench given the amount of HIAs we have had recently but if Kelly-Sines doesn’t have the minutes we have got to look at Amelia Pasikala on the field sooner rather than later.

Key Matchup

Zahara Temara and Kirra Dibb

Both of these players are great game managers with boots to match. Dibb won the game with a field goal last week and Temara has experience with clutch field goals. Both have been unfairly overlooked for representative duties lately but their ability to get field position will be a delight to watch.

The last time these sides met, the Raiders got a 34-12 victory. I anticipate a closer contest this weekend. Raiders by 6!

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