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TITAN PETE
01-08-12, 07:08 AM
SUNDAY

Canberra Raiders v Brisbane Broncos at Canberra Stadium, 2:00pm (local). #NRLCANBRI

RAIDERS: Josh Dugan, Sandor Earl, Jarrod Croker, Blake Ferguson, Reece Robinson, Josh McCrone, Sam Williams, David Shillington, Travis Waddell, Dane Tilse, Josh Papalii, Joel Thompson, Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Shaun Berrigan, Joe Picker, Mark Nicholls, Sam Mataora

BRONCOS: Josh Hoffman, Gerard Beale, Alex Glenn, Ben Te'o, Lachlan Maranta, Corey Norman, Peter Wallace, Ben Hannant, Andrew McCullough, Petero Civoniceva, Matt Gillett, Sam Thaiday, Josh McGuire. Interchange: Ben Hunt, Aaron Whitchurch, Mitchell Dodds, Dunamis Lui

Rage
01-08-12, 05:56 PM
Canberra Raiders v Brisbane Broncos
Canberra Stadium
Sunday 2pm

The saddle hasn?t shifted so much as almost fallen off the Broncos as they continue to reel from the post-Origin letdown that threatens to hobble their premiership dream.

Brisbane were diabolical in going down 42-22 to the Eels at Suncorp Stadium last Monday night, their worst loss in two years under coach Anthony Griffin. Indeed Griffin must have done a double-take at the stats sheet that showed they missed a staggering 64 tackles against the competition cellar-dwellers.

It was a squandered opportunity that could come back to haunt them should they fail to make the all-important top four ? the 20-point rout, their fourth loss from their past six games, leaves them treading water in fifth place on 26 competition points, level with the Cowboys and Sea Eagles and with the Sharks nipping at their heels just one point back.

Meanwhile split-personality Canberra?s ?Mr Hyde? reared his ugly head at home base last Sunday, with a 36-6 defeat to the Knights leaving the Green Machine the mountainous task of needing to win all five of their remaining games to advance to the semi-finals.

In a huge blow up front, Canberra have lost Tom Learoyd-Lahrs to a hamstring injury from this week?s Close The Gap Round clash, his place in the starting line-up filled by Dane Tilse with Sam Mataora the new face on the interchange bench.

Meanwhile ongoing injuries to Justin Hodges and Corey Parker leave Brisbane mentor Griffin (whose 52nd game in charge last week eclipsed Ivan Henjak to leave him the second-longest serving coach) with little choice but to reinvest in the bulk of the side slaughtered by the Eels ? the exception the welcome return of penetrative fullback Josh Hoffman from suspension, replacing Luke Capewell.

Watch Out Raiders: Brisbane really missed Josh Hoffman?s thrust from the back last week, particularly on kick returns. Hoffman is a wind-up dynamo who has made more kick-return runs (131) and metres (1458) than any player. Plus he ranks second for overall running metres (average 154) and third in the league for total runs (316). Hoffman starred in Brisbane?s victory over the Raiders the last time they met (see below), running 26 times for 245 metres. Meanwhile Canberra?s Sam Williams and Josh McCrone are just 48 per cent accurate at kicking away from opponents in 2012 (the third-worst rate in the comp).

Corey Norman is another Bronco with fond memories of playing the Raiders ? he scored two tries, made a try assist and two line-breaks at their most recent match-up.

Danger Sign: Any time the Broncos head right. The Raiders have leaked 45 tries on the right edge, nine more than the next most conceded by Parramatta. Brisbane hammered the region to the last time they met Canberra, with Sam Thaiday, Matt Gillett and Ben Hannant all crossing for tries from close range.

Watch Out Broncos: Brisbane?s defence, a standout feature of their game for the first half of the season, is now bordering on embarrassment week to week. Through Round 13 the Broncos ranked second for effecting tackles, with just 26 misses per game. Entering this week?s clash they?ve dropped to sixth with 32 misses ? and over the past three games, including a win over the Warriors, they?ve missed on average 52 tackles through 80 minutes!

The Broncos have been the benchmark for keeping the opposition down the other end of the park, surrendering the fewest metres each week (1307). Although they still cling to that No.1 ranking, over the past three weeks they have gifted their opponents an average 1469 metres a game ? that?s 20 metres more than the worst-ranked Eels? season average! And they?ve conceded more than six line-breaks a game, too.

Clearly improvement is needed ? not just modest improvement but quantum-leap stuff. When on song the Raiders are no popgun attacking outfit (average 21 points per game). It may seem incredible, given the Bulldogs? stellar form, but the Raiders have actually scored more tries from line-breaks than any side (36, one more than the ?Dogs).

Also, the Broncos? kickers need to get deeper when receiving the ball or else charge-downs will continue to hurt them. The Broncos have conceded one charge-down per game in 2012.

Danger Sign: It?s likely Canberra will try to run around the Broncos out wide, hoping to expose makeshift centres Alex Glenn and Ben Te?o as well as the inexperienced Lachlan Maranta. In particular their centres Jarrod Croker and Blake Ferguson will pose a threat; Croker (14 tries, 14 line-breaks) has been instrumental in helping his side to a whopping 36 tries down the left edge, while Ferguson has proven the toughest centre to fell (NRL-high 87 tackle-breaks).

David Shillington v Petero Civoniceva: Two Queensland engine room team-mates lock horns one last time before Civoniceva?s retirement at season?s end. Shillington?s offloads (21, second most by a prop) have created plenty of opportunities for the Green Machine and his starch up the guts (117 metres, most territory by a Raiders forward) has been invaluable. Shillo needs 101 metres for 15 kilometres of career runs. Meanwhile out-of-sorts Civoniceva will be focused on getting back into form to ensure he exits the league on a high. He?s a lot better than his 10 runs for 84 metres each week. Don?t expect him to miss too many tackles here after the embarrassment of missing seven against the Eels.

Where It Will Be Won: Attitude. Both teams were woefully off the pace in both their focus and application last week; we have no doubt the side that regroups and shows resolve from the get-go will be the team that salutes here. In particular the defence in the early exchanges should provide a good gauge ? last week the Broncos missed 31 tackles against the Eels in the first 40 minutes alone, while the Raiders were almost as bad against the Knights, falling off 26 tackles before the halftime siren.

The History: Played 42; Broncos 24, Raiders 17, drawn 1. The Broncos have won five of the past eight games including the past three. However, it was just four years ago that the Raiders secured their biggest win over the Broncos, with a 56-nil pasting at Canberra Stadium. The Green Machine boast a 10-8 advantage in the nation?s capital, with one match drawn.

The Last Time They Met: The Broncos defeated the Raiders 30-6 at Suncorp Stadium in Round 7.

The home fans were stunned into silence when Joe Picker crossed off a Josh McCrone grubber kick for a 6-nil lead with just five minutes gone. However, that would be the visitors? only joy.

The Broncos roared back into the contest with tries to Sam Thaiday, Ben Hannant, Matt Gillett and Corey Norman for a 20-6 lead at halftime. Tellingly each of their four-pointers was scored from close range and involved a simple pass to a support player hitting a hole at pace.

The Broncos increased their lead when Ben Hunt finished a long-range raid in the 53rd minute before Corey Norman bagged his second try of the night when latching onto a grubber kick underneath the goalposts to round out the scoring.

The game marked the Broncos? best defensive effort of 2012 ? they tallied just 13 missed tackles all evening. Meanwhile the Raiders leaked 38 tackle misses.

The Broncos also dominated in attack, registering seven unanswered line-breaks and a whopping 448 more running metres.

Brisbane were best served by fullback Josh Hoffman, who ran a staggering 26 times for 245 metres, and effervescent five-eighth Norman.

Fullback Reece Robinson was the best of the beaten bunch, making 173 metres.

Match Officials: Referees ? Gavin Badger & Chris James; Sideline Officials ? Dave Abood & Adam Gee; Video Referee ? Rod Lawrence.

The Way We See It: Canberra have won just six of their past 20 home games ? little wonder they post the lowest average home crowd of a 10,045 per week. They?ll need all of those fans plus plenty of others in full voice to help lift them here.

The Broncos need to make a statement to prove to themselves and the other contenders that they won?t be simply making up the numbers come the playoffs. You can guarantee their ears will still be ringing from the spray they copped from coach Griffin. They have to get back in the hunt ? or else. Broncos by 12 points.

Televised: Fox Sports 2 ? Live 2pm.

? Statistics: NRL Stats

Rage
02-08-12, 05:49 PM
Julian Drape AAP Thu, Aug 02, 2012 - 5:39 PM

Canberra NRL captain Dave Shillington says his team need to harness the "war mentality" they take on the road to turn around their poor home form this weekend when the Raiders battle Brisbane.

Five of the Raiders' eight wins in 2012 have been secured away from home and Shillington believes the Green Machine need to again make Canberra Stadium a fortress if they are to have any chance of playing finals football.

"If we can harness that winning mentality we've got, that war mentality we've been taking away with us to away games, and bring it home to Canberra Stadium, that would be fantastic," Shillington told reporters before Thursday's training session.

The Queensland prop insists if Canberra can win their final five matches - three of which are at home - the Raiders can still make the finals.

"We have a win this weekend - we keep our finals hopes alive," the prop said.

But even if they lose, the captain wants the Raiders to round out the season strongly "because finishing ninth or tenth is a lot better than 14th, 15th or 16th".

Shillington said the team were focused on sticking to their game plan on Sunday after the Raiders abandoned their tactics last weekend when things started going awry against Newcastle at home.

"We've got a game plan, we're going to have a go at it early in the game and, if it doesn't work, we're going to keep trying for it and, hopefully, the Broncos will make some mistakes after a while and we'll capitalise on it," the captain said.

Shillington expects Brisbane, coming off a shock loss to last-placed Paramatta on Monday night, will be "fired up" after copping a spray from coach Anthony Griffin.

Canberra fullback Josh Dugan says every match is now "do or die" if the Raiders are to make the finals.

"We're still a chance. We just need to turn it around at home," Dugan told reporters.

"We're definitely a top-eight team. It's just a matter of putting those wins together and putting it all on the field."

Dugan will line up on Sunday despite suffering a knock to the ribs during the 36-6 loss to the Knights.

The Raiders were booed off Canberra Stadium following their loss to Gold Coast in mid-July. Dugan on Thursday said it was "heart-wrenching" to have supporters bag the team.

"As a player, you try to give your all every week and sometimes that just isn't enough," he said, before adding he understood the fans' disappointment and anger.

"We've got one of the best teams on paper and we just haven't been able to put it together."

Shillington compared the home crowd's reaction after the Titans match to the treatment dished out to swimmer Leisel Jones at the London Games.

"I'm not a big fan of the booing whether it's for any of our Australian swimmers or for an NRL team," he said.

"(But) you definitely don't want your home fans to be upset with you."

TITAN PETE
06-08-12, 10:52 AM
Raiders win after travelling to home game

RSS
By Sharon Mathieson AAP Sun, Aug 05, 2012 - 6:09 PM


Canberra have finally found the secret to winning an NRL game at home. Pretend it's an away game.

The Raiders packed their bags on Saturday afternoon and headed across the border to set up camp at a hotel at Eagle Hawk in NSW.

After a night of team bonding, they piled onto the bus on Sunday to make the 25-minute trip back to the national capital to play Brisbane.

It worked; the Raiders walked out of Canberra Stadium with a 28-12 victory to keep alive their hope of making the NRL finals.

It was only their seventh win from the past 21 matches at home.

But Brisbane's nightmare week continued, adding to last Monday's diabolical 42-22 loss to Parramatta and relegating the Broncos to seventh place on the table with four rounds to go.

It was Brisbane's fifth loss from their past seven games and makes an all-important top-four finish less likely.

Canberra, meanwhile, move to 11th place equal on 22 points with the eighth-placed Gold Coast, Newcastle, Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra.

But the Raiders need to win their final four matches to earn a finals berth.

Canberra skipper David Shillington said given his team's poor performance at home this season, they were happy to treat Sunday's match as an away game.

"Sometimes it's just a mental thing," he said.

"You go away, you're in that football-prepared frame of mind.

"You're hydrating, you're hanging out with your teammates, you're thinking about footy, you're preparing the right way.

"It's been working for us going away ... so it was worth a try doing it for a home game.

"We rocked up with a great attitude today."

Brisbane centre Alex Glenn opened the scoring in the 21st minute but the home side responded six minutes later when hooker Travis Waddell scored off a quick play the ball centimetres outside Brisbane's line.

The Broncos went to the break with a 6-4 lead but Canberra came out firing in the second half with centre Jarrod Croker scoring his 15th try of the season in the 42nd minute.

Raiders lock Shaun Fensom added his team's third try in the 57th minute but Glenn made it a double when he scored in the 65th minute to close the gap to 16-12 in Canberra's favour.

It was a costly try though, with the Broncos centre carried off the field with a hamstring injury.

Canberra fullback Josh Dugan crossed for a double in the 75th and 80th minutes to seal victory for the Raiders.

Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin admitted his men were down on confidence.

"We just killed ourselves in the middle of that second half," he said.