After all of our handwringing and stressing about the Warriors, the Raiders are…fine actually?
Dare I say it…good?
In previous years, we watched games through our hands, praying for a victory, but this year, we have disposed of the Warriors and Dragons comfortably. This Saturday the Roosters come to Canberra to test the Valkyries’ newfound resolve, and we will find out if the Raiders are going to be true contenders in 2026. A win shows we are the real deal this year, and a close loss will highlight what weaknesses the Raiders have to work on as the season progresses. It’s the second of a 5-game block of home games (Wagga still counts) where the Raiders will look to make GIO a fortress.
The Roosters come to Canberra absolutely stacked. Jess Sergis and Isabelle Kelly come to NRLW after a successful centre pairing in State of Origin. Tarryn Aiken returns after rupturing her ACL late last year. Up front, Millie Boyle has not missed a beat since returning from maternity leave, and Dally M winner Olivia Kernick marks her 50th NRLW game this weekend.
However, the Raiders will note with interest that the Roosters scraped a win over the Knights last week, with goal-kicking the difference. The Knights forced errors and found themselves with a lot of ball but unable to translate that into points. Gallagher, Temara and Blackwell should back themselves to put pressure on the Roosters with kicks, and the whole pack can remain staunch in defence. Opportunities will present themselves. Our forwards (Sophie Holyman in particular) have been chowing up metres early in sets.
The Raiders have attacking weapons on both sides of the field this year and the confidence to back themselves to score.
Ellie Brander makes her debut for the Raiders this week. A former Roosters training partner, she replaces Hollie-Mae Dodd, who is out with a concussion. Brander has been playing for Mounties this season and brings some size to our bench. Our bench has been an improvement on last year with everyone adding value. Grace Kemp has returned to her barnstorming best, and Emma Barnes continues to quietly find opportunities at the ruck.
In other NSW Cup news, Isabella Waterman and Gabrielle Savage will be returning from injury in the reserves. Savage picked up a calf injury in under-19s Origin and Waterman’s injury has not been disclosed. Ten Raiders are running out for Mounties this weekend; it’s great to see our broader squad get game time and make their arguments for selection.
Last year an NRLW team needed 6 wins (or 5 wins and a draw) to make the finals, and we are a third of the way there already. The Raiders are ready to take on the big end of town; get down to GIO early and cheer them on.
Raiders by 4!
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