By Viv
Tonight, the Raiders take on the Roosters in the preliminary final. This is a profound achievement in the club’s history, regardless of the result. After a rough couple of years, the Raiders have a strong team and strong combinations clicking in at the right time.
Dan has written this week about the contributions made by Isabella Waterman and Sophie Holyman this season. This season has also seen a rejuvenated Zahara Temara. Compared to last year, her tackle efficiency has gone up 5%, and her running metres have almost doubled. The support she receives from Krystal Blackwell and Sheridan Gallagher allows her to focus on opportunities rather than carrying all of the playmaking work. The opportunity to get one over her old club in a big game is a bonus.
Where can we win? Statistically, the Raiders are second in the comp for field goals; the Roosters have kicked 0 this year. If it gets tight, Zahara Temara has the experience to slot one over. The Raiders are competition leaders in line engagement and support runs. We lead the comp in post-contact metres (6423m compared to the Roosters’ paltry 5420m). When our middles get hit, they simply keep running; they simply get a good play the ball so our halves can swing into action. Simaima Taufa is a massive loss this week, but the forwards have taken the challenge. These results even though the Raiders are criminally underusing Grace Kemp (she was only on the field 15 minutes last week!)
Throughout the season Krystal Blackwell, Chloe Saunders and Leianne Tufuga have had career peak games. Isabella Waterman, Leianne Tufuga and Chante Temara have been quietly delivering consistent high-quality football. There are attacking threats on the left and right.
Over the last four years the Raiders have good results against the chooks! We have beaten them once! Our average margin is a 5-point loss across all our games. Other teams in the comp would kill for these kinds of numbers!
Elsewhere today, Mounties take on Newcastle in the NSW Women’s Premiership grand final. Excluding Taufa and Simpson, the remainder of our top squad will be playing in this game. This is the team and comp that helped Lili Boyle develop into the player who has slotted into the top squad in Taufa’s absence.
Haters will point to the Roosters being $1.05 favourites to win this game, talk about Tarryn Aiken’s performance post ACL, and the pastings they have given inferior sides in the last month. The Sportress has no interest in such things but wants to celebrate the achievement in getting here, the improvements of 2026, and the promise for the future. To conclude, what if we just win tonight? Raiders by 4! Mounties by 12!
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