2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

All the news on the Canberra Raiders lower grades, affiliate clubs and the Canberra Raiders Cup

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Re: 2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

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Canberra Raiders Cup: Jarrad Teka optimistic on Carl Johnson's prospects

His SG Ball halves partner of last year Anthony Milford has burst into the NRL in stunning fashion, but Tuggeranong captain-coach Jarrad Teka insists halfback Carl Johnson is capable of returning to the Canberra Raiders fold should he continue his early season form. Johnson and Milford, who will play his second NRL game in Melbourne on Saturday, joined forces in the halves to steer Canberra to last year's SG Ball grand final. Milford is now on the game's big stage, but Johnson has quietly been forging his own reputation in the Canberra Raiders Cup. Teka said the 19-year-old's composure and control has been crucial in Tuggeranong's unbeaten start to the season.

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Canberra Raiders Cup

Lee Gaskin ‏@Lee_Gaskin1

Blues score after two min, great 50m try to Sam Langford. Blues 6-0
14min: Blues in again out wide. Wilkinson scores. Blues 12-0
17min: Sione Taka barges over for Woden to get on the board. Qbn 12-6
No defence here - Levi Freeman in for the Blues to extend the lead to 16-6 after 21min
24min: Langford gets his second and the Blues are running away with it. Blues 20-6
30min: Defence, what defence? Daniel Roberts in for Woden, they trail Blues 20-12
Blues leading the Rams 20-12 at halftime

50min: Tyler Stephens scores for the Blues. Blues 24 Rams 12
Hold the phone, this one is far from over. The Rams are in again and it's a six point game with 25min left. Blues up 24-18
Mitch Vincent scores a brilliant 80m solo try and the Rams are back to within two points. Blues 24 Rams 22
Rams hit the front, another great try from Vincent. Rams up 28-24
Blues hit back through Tyler Stephens for his second. Blues up 30-28
Woden back in front in this cracking game. Rams up 34-30 with 5min left

Fulltime: Woden Rams have staged a great comeback to beat the Queanbeyan Blues 34-30

Full time

Belconnen United Scholars 52 defeated Gungahlin Bulls 18
Queanbeyan Kangaroos 38 defeated West Belconnen Warriors 16
Woden Valley Rams 34 defeated Queanbeyan Blues 30
Goulburn Bulldogs 26 defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers 22
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Re: 2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

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Rams give leader the blues

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THE Woden Valley Rams gave their loyal supporters a reason to get on their feet with a stunning upset of the previously unbeaten Queanbeyan Blues on Saturday. The Rams turned around a 14-point deficit to run over the top of the Canberra Raiders Cup ladder leaders, holding on for an entertaining 34-30 victory at Phillip Oval. Flying centre Mitch Vincent displayed all his pace with a double as the Rams improved to a 2-1 record and took advantage of an error-riddled performance by the Blues.

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Re: 2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 3 Wrap Up

Woden Valley Rams delivered their best performance of the year to upset the high-flying Queanbeyan Blues 34-30 in front of their loyal supporters at Phillip Oval.

Rams Captain Josh Burns revealed after the match that his side was particularly motivated to make it up to their home fans after a disappointing effort the week before against local rivals the Tuggeranong Bushrangers.

“We had a tough week last week, it was hyped up and we lost all three grades, so we rallied around this week,” Burns said.

Coach Simon Woolford hopes his side takes a hard lesson out of the loss were complacency and ill-discipline proved costly.

“I thought even in the warm-up our guys were taking Woden for granted,” Woolford said. “When you give away 11 penalties to three you can't win footy games, no matter who you're playing. I just hope our guys learn a lesson from it.”

Read more: http://www.raiders.com.au/news-display/ ... p-Up/74018
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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 4 Preview

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Woden Valley Rams (5) v West Belconnen Warriors (8) on Saturday at 5:00pm at Raiders Belconnen

The Woden Valley Rams 34-30 defeat of TTM Canberra Raiders Cup powerhouses the Queanbeyan Blues announced their standing as a serious contender for this year’s title however Coach Cameron Hardy believes that the victory will be rendered meaningless unless they back it up this round against the West Belconnen Warriors.

West Belconnen are yet to win in this year’s competition and are subsequently sitting at the bottom of the ladder but Hardy, who has coached and played with the Warriors, is adamant that they will not be taking them lightly.

Last week the Warriors led last year’s Grand Finalists the Queanbeyan Kangaroos 16-10 at half-time until the Kangaroos scored 28 unanswered points to beat them 38-16.

“You can never underestimate West Belconnen,” said Hardy. “I’m a West Belconnen boy myself so I know the club quite well.

“They haven’t had the best start to the year but we can’t take them lightly at all because they’ve definitely got some talented players in their ranks.

“We can’t go into the game complacent and it would be disrespectful of us to do so. Germ [Simon Woolford] put it nicely last week when he talked about respecting your opponents. The Blues probably didn’t respect us as much as they should’ve last week and they paid the price for it.

“In saying that though I felt we earned the victory last week. Our defensive effort was really impressive as were our completions and discipline. If we don’t win this week last week’s win doesn’t mean anything though.”

Hardy has been thoroughly impressed with the development of the younger players in his side many of which have come up from the Under 18s as well as some other handy recruits.

“The development of the younger players has been fantastic. We look to give the talented young fellas coming through at the club opportunities and they have never let us down so far this year.

“Pat Prior in the front row, David Hicks in the back-row and Jake Wheeler at fullback have been particularly impressive.

“Our edges have been working well and we’ve identified our strengths and we’re playing to them.”

Mitch Vincent was terrific for the Rams in last week’s win over the Blues scoring two scintillating long range tries however Woden will be without his services this weekend as Vincent will be attending a wedding in Queensland.

The Warriors will also be without the services of a handy backline player with five-eighth Joe Cramp ruled out with a medial ligament strain in his knee.

Queanbeyan Kangaroos (2) v Goulburn Workers Bulldogs (4) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Freebody Oval

Goulburn Captain Daniel York has revealed that the confidence of his side received a significant boost last week after defeating competition leaders the Tuggeranong Bushrangers.

“The Bushrangers have had a great start to the year and are probably the form team of the competition at the moment so to get a win over them last week gave the side a real boost in confidence,” said York.

Winger Junior Vatikani starred for Goulburn in the victory over Tuggeranong scoring a hat-trick of tries and will again be a key figure if the Bulldogs are to topple last year’s Grand Finalists the Queanbeyan Kangaroos.

“Junior was awesome for us last week,” said York. “His runs are invaluable; he’s just like an extra forward for us and is proving to be a real handful for opposition defences. We’ll need another big game from him this week to be a chance of beating the Roos.”

Queanbeyan will be striving to deliver an improved first half performance after trailing cellar dwellers West Belconnen 16-10 last week. The Roos cannot afford to give a similar first half performance against the Goulburn.

Queanbeyan Blues (3) v Gungahlin Bulls (7) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Seiffert Oval

The Queanbeyan Blues were disappointing last weekend against Woden and Coach Simon Woolford has been riding his talented side hard at training as a result of their poor showing.

The former Raiders skipper hopes that the Blues take a hard lesson out of the loss where complacency and ill-discipline proved costly.

“I thought even in the warm-up our guys were taking Woden for granted,” Woolford said.

“When you give away 11 penalties to three you can't win footy games, no matter who you're playing. I just hope our guys learn a lesson from it.”

Gungahlin will also be looking to bounce back from a disappointing previous round where they were smashed 52-18 by the Belconnen United Scholars.

Tuggeranong Bushrangers (1) v Belconnen United Scholars (6) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Greenway

After setting the competition alight in the previous two rounds the Tuggeranong Bushrangers were brought back to Earth by a 26-22 loss at the hands of Goulburn.

They will no doubt be looking to get back into the winners circle this Saturday with a win over 2012 premiers the Belconnen United Scholars in front of their passionate home fans.

Fullback Michael Brophy will again be crucial for Tuggeranong to emerge victorious. The former Raiders lower grader scored two tries last week against Goulburn and will no doubt be a heavily marked man by the Scholars.

Alternatively, the Bushrangers will have to keep a watchful eye on Scholars star Junior Lafaele who scored a hat-trick of tries in Belconnen United’s 52-18 victory over the Bulls last weekend.

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Re: 2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

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Rams bolstered by rising young stars

Raiders cult figure Edrick Lee has turned out for the Woden Valley Rams in previous years, and another couple of potential stars are following in his footsteps.

Centre Cameron Booth and utility Dylan McGrath have slotted in seamlessly after playing for the Raiders in the under-18 SG Ball competition. With that finished, the duo loom as valuable additions for the rest of the Canberra Raiders Cup competition. McGrath's deft grubber kick late in the game set up the match-winning try as the Rams stormed to a 34-30 upset of the Queanbeyan Blues last week.

The Rams are going for back-to-back victories when they take on the West Belconnen Warriors at Kippax on Saturday.

Rams captain Josh Burns said having quality young Raiders players slot into first grade was beneficial for his club and as a developmental tool for the players.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-l ... z2Sv8amLZK
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Canberra Raiders Cup live scores

This post updates.

Lee Gaskin ‏@Lee_Gaskin1

Arrive at Freebody and going the biff early in the Goulburn v Qbn Roos game. Couple nice shots before it's broken up
Brendan Harper try, Qbn Roos up 4-0
Luke Gray scoots through a hole close to the line to put Goulburn in front 6-4
Splendid skill for local footy. First Junior Vatikani on the break, then Jordan Macey with the cover defence to save the try
Goulburn are in again, Daniel York bumping off three defenders to score a great try. Goulburn 12 - Qbn Roos 4
35min: Goulburn try, Ben Schreiber. All points while Roos have a man in the sin bin. Goulburn 18 - Qbn Roos 4
Goulburn leading the Roos 18-4 at halftime

45min: Roos score first after the break to reduce the gap to 10 points. Goulburn 18 - Qbn Roos 8
65min: Daniel York having a blinder for Goulburn, the skipper gets his second and the Bulldogs lead 24-8
69min: This will be a great win for the Bulldogs as Tom Chapman scores in the corner. Goulburn 28 - Qbn Roos 8
76min: Consolation try for the Roos. Goulburn 28 - Qbn Roos 14

FULL TIME: Goulburn Bulldogs 28 defeat Queanbeyan Roos 14

Other scores:

Queanbeyan Blues 40 defeat Gungahlin Bulls 20
Belconnen United Scholars 30 defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers 20
Woden Valley Rams 74 defeated West Belconnen Warriors 18
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Re: 2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

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Kangaroo Whiley eye gouge claim

This was a Canberra Raiders Cup match which had almost everything and sets the scene for a fiery replay when the Queanbeyan Kangaroos and the Goulburn Workers Bulldogs square off later in the season.

The Bulldogs had the last laugh courtesy of an impressive 28-14 win at Freebody Oval in a game where Kangaroos lock Troy Whiley was alleged to have eye gouged his opposite, No.13 Luke Turner.

Bulldogs captain Daniel York confronted Whiley on the field after one of the many incidents in the heated contest.

''There was a bit of an eye gouge, I don't think they were too happy about being behind,'' York said.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/f ... z2SzzfzRgv
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Re: 2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 4 Wrap Up

Goulburn has won their third straight victory after disposing of last year’s Grand Finalists the Queanbeyan Kangaroos 28-14 in a heated clash at Freebody Oval. Goulburn Captain Daniel York believes that the side has learnt a valuable lesson in starting the season off strongly after last year’s slow start resulted in his side playing catch-up football to the rest of the competition for the remainder of the year. “Our early season form is very important for us to keep pace with the top sides in the competition,” said York. “We were playing catch-up all last year to make the semi-finals because we waited until round five or six for our first win. It’s our goal to make the semi-finals this year so it’s good to be in a position like this sitting in third place after four rounds.”

Read more: http://www.raiders.com.au/news-display/ ... p-Up/74576
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Canberra Region Rugby League announce representative teams

Canberra Region Rugby League (CRRL) has selected a strong representative side for next month’s Country Championship as the side attempts to bring the Country Championship crown back to Canberra for the first time since 1999.

The CRRL Rep team will play Illawarra on Saturday the 1st of June in Cooma.

1. Michael Brophy Tuggeranong Bushrangers
2. Tyler Stevens Queanbeyan Blues
3. Tim Crome Woden Valley Rams
4. Nathan Chappell Goulburn Workers Bulldogs
5. Junior Vatikani Goulburn Workers Bulldogs
6. Robbie Byatt Queanbeyan Kangaroos
7. Carl Johnson Tuggeranong Bushrangers
8. Tsai Tui Belconnen United Scholars
9. Ben Picker Goulburn Workers Bulldogs
10. Matt Holmes Queanbeyan Blues
11. Adam Pearce Queanbeyan Kangaroos
12. Levi Freeman Queanbeyan Blues
13. Josh Ayres Gungahlin Bulls
14. Channon McAskill Belconnen United Scholars
15. Sione Taka Woden Valley Rams
16. Matt Lewis Queanbeyan Kangaroos
17. Aidan Greenwood Belconnen United Scholars
Coach: Jack Giddings

The Under 18s representative team has also been selected with the side lining up as follows:
1. Matthew Heckenberg Belconnen United Scholars
2. Ben Darmody Bungendore Tigers
3. Ryan McQueen West Belconnen Warriors
4. Michael Geiger Woden Valley Rams
5. Grant Crapp Woden Valley Rams
6. Tyran Sullivan Tuggeranong Bushrangers
7. Jack Hickson Tuggeranong Bushrangers
8. Jacob Bink West Belconnen Warriors
9. Zac Woolford Queanbeyan Blues
10. Daniel Dole Queanbeyan Blues
11. David Fuka Tuggeranong Bushrangers
12. Sam Jennings-May West Belconnen Warriors
13. Charlie McKenzie Queanbeyan Blues
14. Daniel McDougall Woden Valley Rams
15. Daniel Solofa Woden Valley Rams
16. Logan Reis Belconnen United Scholars
17. John White Woden Valley Rams
18. Anthony Fookes Tuggeranong Bushrangers
Coach: David Small

Read more: http://www.raiders.com.au/news-display/ ... Team/74632
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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 5 Preview

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Tuggeranong Bushrangers (4) v Queanbeyan Blues (2) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Greenway

Queanbeyan Blues star forward Trevor Thurling believes that his side faces one of their biggest hurdles of the year so far when they take on the dangerous Tuggeranong Bushrangers on Saturday afternoon.

After coming second last in 2012, the Bushrangers have surprised many with their fantastic early season form and are seen as one of the dark-horses for this year’s premiership.

“Tuggeranong has surprised a fair few people in the Canberra Cup this year,” said the 99 game Raiders veteran. “They’re a young side but they’re enthusiastic and have got plenty of talent.”

“They’ve upset a few highly fancied sides so we’ll definitely have to be on our game against them. They will give us one of the biggest challenges that we’ve faced so far this year.”

Thurling believes that his side cannot afford to concentrate too much on how the Bushrangers are going to play, but rather focusing on what they need to concentrate on.

“We were pretty disappointing against Woden a fortnight ago,” said Thurling. We were up 20-6 but a few errors and lack of discipline by us let us down. We got out to a lead and then went to sleep and ended up losing.

“It was good last week to get back on track with a win over the Bulls but we still let ourselves down with the 20 minutes after halftime. That’s something that we really need to address because it happened against the Rams also.”

Whilst the Blues will be looking to amend the flaws in their own backyard before Saturday’s crucial encounter, Thurling is wary of a former teammate of his from his days at the Raiders.

“I played a lot with Michael Brophy in Premier League for the Raiders and he’s definitely a freak of a player,” said Thurling.

“He’s come back from the Queensland Cup and he’s really lifted Tuggeranong this year by all reports. He’s only one player though and we can’t afford to concentrate on just him. They’ve got talented players across the board so it will take a team effort to shut them down.”

Brophy’s tremendous form this year has seen him picked at fullback for the Canberra Region representative side.

Joining him in that side is Queanbeyan’s Tyler Stevens who has thoroughly impressed Thurling in the opening four rounds of the competition.

“Our centre Tyler Stevens has been outstanding for us all year,” praised Thurling. He’s got plenty of pace and he’s hard to stop when he’s in the clear.

Tuggeranong is the best defensive team in the competition so the Blues will need a big game from Stevens to help penetrate their resolute defence.

A strong win by the Blues could potentially see them climb back on top of the premiership ladder.

Belconnen United Scholars (5) v Goulburn Workers Bulldogs (3) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Northbourne Oval

Goulburn has the opportunity to defeat both of last year’s Grand Finalists in consecutive weeks when they take on 2012 premiers the Belconnen Untied Scholars on Saturday.

The Bulldogs defeated last year’s runners up the Queanbeyan Kangaroos 28-12 in round four to mark their third victory in a row and reach third place on the competition ladder.

Belconnen United has started the season fairly slowly given their lofty standards as they readjust to life without 2012 Les McIntyre Medallist Brent Crisp.

Bobby Roberts has stepped into Crisp’s shoes at five-eighth and the youngster’s flawless goal kicking was the catalyst for last week’s 30-20 win over the in-form Bushrangers.

Both sides scored five tries apiece however it was Roberts’ ability to land five goals from as many attempts that sealed the victory for the Scholars.

The Scholars have started to find form and will be a good test for the Goulburn forwards as they face Canberra region representative forwards Tsai Tui, Channon McAskill and Aidan Greenwood.

Woden Valley Rams (1) v Queanbeyan Kangaroos (6) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Phillip District Oval

Woden stormed to the top of the TTM Canberra Raiders Cup ladder after completely annihilating the West Belconnen Warriors by 56 points last week.

The Rams will be gunning for their third consecutive victory and assisting their fortunes in this quest is the fact that they have been undefeated at home so far this year.

Queanbeyan Captain-Coach Aaron Gorrell was fuming with his side’s ill-discipline last week in their loss to Goulburn, believing that they played into the Bulldogs' hands by committing a multitude of careless errors.

The Kangaroos cannot afford to hand over cheap possession to Woden given that they are the best attacking team in the competition statistically.

If Woden is to enjoy a considerable amount of possession Canberra Region representative centre Tim Crome will have a field day along with teammate Nathan Smith.

Crome racked up a staggering 30 points last week whilst Smith also starred scoring four great tries.

West Belconnen Warriors (8) v Gungahlin Bulls (7) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Raiders Belconnen

West Belconnen have endured a week of soul-searching after they were embarrassed 74-18 by the Woden Valley Rams last week in front of their home fans.

As they say, a week is a long time in football, and the Warriors have a prime opportunity to make amends to their home fans this week against Gungahlin as they search for their first win of the year.

The Bulls too will be keen for a victory after their 40-20 loss to the Blues saw them slip to 7th place on the ladder – just one place higher than West Belconnen.

Whilst Gungahlin will again be led forward by inspirational lock Josh Ayres, keep an eye out for the talented Jono Kent in the backline. Kent is a Raiders National Youth Competition player and represented Queensland Under 18s last year.

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Blues to put heat on Brophy

The Queanbeyan Blues are on high alert to stop livewire Tuggeranong Bushrangers fullback Michael Brophy as they look to justify their Canberra Raiders Cup pre-season hype. Brophy, a former Raiders lower-grader, has been a major part of the Bushrangers' resurgence since returning in the off-season after a stint with the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup. ''We just need to work together on Brophy, he's a very dangerous player,'' Woolford said. ''If we go out and work on our own, he'll hurt us. Defensively we need to work together and limit his influence on the game.''

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-l ... z2TZlKNpnm
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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 5 score updates

This post updates

Lee Gaskin ‏@Lee_Gaskin1

Local footy time - Belconnen United Scholars v Goulburn Bulldogs
9th min: Goulburn try, Ricky Chamberlain recovers his own bomb. Goulburn 6 Belconnen 0
27min: Quality game, both teams have gone close without any luck. Goulburn 6 Belconen 0
29min: Goulburn try, another towering bomb leaves the Belco fullback clutching at thin air. Goulburn 12; Belconnen 0
32min: Another great Goulburn try, Nathan Chappell scoring after Junior Vatikani starts the 100m effort. Goulburn 18; Belconnen 0
36min: Call off the fight, Goulburn are in again and are destroying the reigning premiers, 22-0 #canberraraiderscup

HT Bulldogs 22 lead Scholars 0

41min: Belconnen force a loose ball off the kickoff with a massive tackle to score under the posts. Goulburn 22-6 #canberraraiderscup
51min: Goulburn's Ben Picker sin-binned. Dogs leading 22-6
54min: Goulburn are in again despite being down to 12 men. Dogs lead 26-6
59min: Belconnen hanging in, Papalii-Scanlab scores. Goulburn up 26-12
66min: Getting chilly, but Belconnen are heating up. Goulburn lead 26-16
76min: Grandstand finish on the way, Belco score to make it 26-20
We're all level! What a comeback 26-all
Fulltime: what a game! McAskill scores in the final minute as Belconnen come from 22-0 down to draw 26-all with Goulburn

Woden Valley Rams ‏@wodenvalleyrams

Half time in First Grade. Roos 30 leading Rams 10
Full time in First Grade. Roos 30 defeated Rams 20

Full time scores
Queanbeyan Roos 30 defeated Woden Rams 20
Belconnen United Scholars 26 drew Goulburn Bulldogs 26
Queanbeyan Blues 42 defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers 12
Gungahlin Bulls 28 defeated West Belconnen Warriors 16
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Bulldogs let slip chance to defeat Scholars

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GOULBURN Bulldogs coach James Aubusson saw his dream of upsetting the defending Canberra Raiders Cup premiers turn into a ''gut-wrenching'' nightmare.

In 40 dramatic minutes, the Bulldogs gave up a 22-point lead to settle for a share of the competition points with the Belconnen United Scholars.

Scholars captain Channon McAskill barged his way over in the 79th minute and five-eighth Robert Roberts converted from in front to lock up the scores at 26-26 on a chilly Saturday afternoon at Braddon Oval.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/f ... z2Tj7s2rZV
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Re: 2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 5 wrap up

Queanbeyan Blues (1) 42 defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers (6) 12

The Queanbeyan Blues have surged to the top of the TTM Canberra Raiders Cup ladder after a comprehensive 42-12 victory over the Tuggeranong Bushrangers.

“I wouldn’t say that we’re at our best yet but look I’m happy to be sitting on top after five rounds,” said Woolford.

“We had a really good win in round one over Goulburn but that was followed by a couple of sub-standard performances. It’s pleasing to see that we’ve turned our form around in the last couple of weeks but we’ve still got a long way to go until we get to where we want to be as a football side.”

Belconnen United Scholars (5) 26 drew with Goulburn Workers Bulldogs (2) 26
Queanbeyan Kangaroos (4) 30 defeated Woden Valley Rams (3) 20
Gungahlin Bulls (7) 28 defeated West Belconnen Warriors (8) 16

Read more: http://www.raiders.com.au/news-display/ ... p-Up/75116
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Eight Canberra juniors selected for the U18s Bidgee Bulls

Canberra juniors have received the highest representation in the Bidgee Bulls Under 18s side which will contest the Country Rugby League Regional Championships on the 8th and 9th of June in Central Charlestown, Newcastle.

1 Matthew Heckenberg Belconnen United Scholars - G8
2 Ben Darmody Bungendore Tigers - G8
3 Thomas Webb Bidgee Hurricanes – G20
4 Ryan McQueen West Belconnen Warriors - G8
5 John White Woden Valley Rams - G8
6 Hayden Jolliffe Wagga Kangaroos – G9
7 Jack Hickson Tuggeranong Bushrangers - G8
8 Daniel Dole Queanbeyan Blues - G8
9 Braden Gillis Temora Dragons – G9
10 Tim Hillam Bidgee Hurricanes - G20
11 Anthony Fookes Tuggeranong Bushrangers - G8
12 Tyron Gorman Gundagai Tigers – G9
13 Charlie McKenzie Queanbeyan Blues – G8

14 Troy Barby Tullibigeal Lake Cargelligo – G20
15 Charlie Cribb Tumut Blues – G9
16 Ben Nakubunai Bidgee Hurricanes – G20
17 Jesse McDonald Bidgee Hurricanes – G20
18 Luke Gladman Wagga Brothers – G9

COACH: Craig Morriss – G20

DATE: 8th and 9th June, 2013 VENUE: Central Charlestown, Newcastle

Read more: http://www.raiders.com.au/news-display/ ... ulls/75144
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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 6 Preview

Queanbeyan Blues (1) v Queanbeyan Kangaroos (4) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Seiffert Oval

It there’s one match that you can always count on for a few fireworks it’s the local Queanbeyan derby between the Blues and the Kangaroos.

Players from both sides are bitter adversaries on the field but also great mates off it, however with bragging rights on the line and more importantly two competition points, the players won’t be holding anything back come Saturday.

“We’re expecting a few fireworks because it’s the local derby but we take every game the same because at the end of the day you’ve got to beat every team in the comp,” said Kangaroos Captain-Coach Aaron Gorrell.

“There’s a bit of rivalry on the field and I’m sure it will be every man for himself out there but off it we’re all great mates. We’ll be fired up for the match and they will be too.”

After finishing last year as runners up after winning the premiership in 2010-11, the Kangaroos have found themselves sitting in 4th position on the ladder after an inconsistent five rounds.

“We’re going ok at the moment but we’re very patchy and there’s a lot of improvement that we need to work on,” said Gorrell. “Last week [against Woden] we put together a good opening 40 minutes but went to sleep in the second half and just cruised over the line. We need to learn how to play for the entire 80 minutes.

“The Blues are a quality team and hopefully our forwards are up for the challenge and are able to get over the top of their pack so our backs can score some points. They’ve got a quality side with a few players that have played at the top level so we’ll have to be at our best.”

The Kangaroos will have to keep an eye on Blues centre Tyler Stevens. The rugby union convert is yet to play in the much-hyped Queanbeyan clash however that lack of experience won’t affect him one iota.

Stevens’ stellar start to the year has seen him score 10 tries in just five games and gain selection in the Canberra Region representative team.

“I’ve never played in the Queanbeyan rugby league derby before so this game will be my first experience,” said Stevens. “Training has been nothing different to any other week but in the back of our heads we know it’s going to be a big game because of the rivalry between the two sides.

“Regardless of the rivalry it’s a top four clash so it will be a big game anyway. It will probably be the biggest rugby league game that I’ve played in so far.

“I always wanted to give rugby league a shot while I’m still young and I’ve enjoyed the change. I grew up playing rugby league but switched over to union in high school.

“It’s been good with the team that the Blues have put together this year and having quality players inside and outside me like Herbie [Marc Herbert]. They make my job easier and having Simon Woolford as coach has been good, he’s given me a lot of good points to work on.”

Belconnen United Scholars (5) v West Belconnen Warriors (7) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Northbourne Oval

The other local derby this round is the ‘Battle for Belconnen’ where the Belconnen United Scholars take on the West Belconnen Warriors.

After taking out last year’s title the Scholars have been building their form slowly over the opening rounds however Coach John Hawke was left less than impressed with his team’s performance against Goulburn last week where they were lucky to escape with a draw.

“We probably didn’t deserve the draw,” said Hawke. “We had a football side that didn't want to turn up in the first half and we had a very poor attitude. I thought Goulburn deserved to win the game.”

After a series of lopsided score lines, the winless Warriors put in a solid performance against the Gungahlin Bulls last week.

Hooker Nic Whatman believes that while last week’s performance was an improvement, his side will need to lift significantly against the Scholars, particularly against their power-house forward pack which features three CRRL representatives.

“Last week we worked hard on completing our sets and tightening our defensive structure,” said Whatman. “It was an improvement but we need to lift again this week against the Scholars.

“There hasn’t been a lot of talk about the local rivalry but we know that they are a big side with a lot of good players so we hope to build on last week and put in another strong performance.

“If our forwards can do the job, players like our fullback Ricky Fulivai will be able to take advantage. Ricky played really well last week. He scored two tries and got us into a good position with each kick return.”

West Belconnen will welcome back five-eighth Joe Cramp for this encounter. Cramp was out injured with a strained meniscus for the previous two rounds.

Gungahlin Bulls (7) v Tuggeranong Bushrangers (6) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Raiders Belconnen

After a brilliant start to the year in which they won their first two encounters, the Tuggeranong Bushrangers have slipped to 6th place on the ladder after losing their last three matches.

They will look to turn their fortunes around this weekend when they take on the 7th placed Gungahlin Bulls and keep pace with the other semi-finals contenders.

“We’ve been happy with our start to the year,” said Bushrangers Captain-Coach Jarrod Teka. “Our new recruits have really helped the side along and there’s a good feeling within the side at the moment.

“We haven’t been at our best the last few weeks and we know we need to turn that around so that we keep a place in the top four. We don’t want to be playing catch-up football like last year.”

Tuggeranong will come up against a passionate Gungahlin outfit who will be celebrating their proud history at the game.

The Bulls will wear a heritage jersey to mark the occasion and former players will be accommodated in the Old Boys Bar, overlooking the try line on the Western end of the grandstand.

Goulburn Workers Bulldogs (2) v Woden Valley Rams (3) on Saturday at 4:00pm at Goulburn Workers Arena

Goulburn has the opportunity to leapfrog the Queanbeyan Blues to claim first place on the competition ladder when they take on the Woden Valley Rams at home on Saturday.

The Bulldogs are traditionally hard to beat at home and if the Kangaroos are to defeat the Blues at Seiffert Oval then Goulburn will snare top spot on the ladder.

They face a tough task though against the 3rd placed Woden Valley Rams though. Woden has been one of the big improvers this year and is the only team to have defeated the Blues.

An interesting individual battle in the match will be the contest between the two Canberra Raiders Development Officers, Goulburn Captain Daniel York and Woden interchange forward Adam Kyle.

“We both work out of the same office at Raiders HQ but I’ve been out of the office all week doing school visits around Yass so there hasn’t been a chance for any friendly banter between us,” said York.

“The other staff members will be interested in seeing who wins on Monday so bragging rights will definitely be on the line. I’ll be doing my best to get the win to make sure that we get first place on the ladder and that I don’t get sledged all week if we lose!”

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In-form Stephens key man for Blues

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When the Queanbeyan Blues play the Queanbeyan Roos in a cross-town clash at Seiffert Oval on Saturday, one of the biggest strike-weapons could be the centre who crossed codes from the Queanbeyan Whites. After six years away from rugby league, Queanbeyan Blues centre Tyler Stephens has made a stunning return by scoring 10 tries from his first five games of the season. ''I guess it kicked off last year for pre-season when he [Woolford] put together the first grade squad,'' Stephens said. ''We put in place what he wanted to change to get the club on track. It's a great culture to be around and I'm enjoying my time here.''

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Canberra Raiders Cup full time scores:

Queanbeyan Blues 44 defeated Queanbeyan Kangaroos 12
Tuggeranong Bushrangers 52 defeated Gungahlin Bulls 12
Belconnen United Scholars 22 defeated West Belconnen 20
Woden Rams 30 defeated Goulburn Bulldogs 18
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Gorrell injury may end career

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QUEANBEYAN Kangaroos captain-coach Aaron Gorrell has almost certainly played his last game after suffering a suspected torn anterior cruciate ligament in his side's 44-12 loss to the Queanbeyan Blues on Saturday. Speaking directly after the match, Gorrell was resigned to having pulled on the boots for the last time. ''I think that's it, I'm retired,'' Gorrell said. ''I'm pretty sure I've just done [my ACL] again. I'll get scans during the week so we'll see how I go but I heard a pop so I don't think it's going to be good. That's the second time on that knee as well so I won't be coming back again. Even if it's just cartilage, which is a slim chance since I haven't got much left in there, I won't be playing again this season.''

QUEANBEYAN BLUES 44 (Sam Langford 2, Tyler Stevens 2, Craig Wilkinson, Marc Herbert, Ben Nicoll, Blake Hewitt tries; Wilkinson 6 goals) bt QUEANBEYAN KANGAROOS 12 (Jordan Macey, Adam Pearce tries; Glenn Baker, Macey goals).

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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 6 Wrap Up

The Woden Valley Rams have leapfrogged Goulburn to second place on the ladder after their 20-18 defeat of the Bulldogs. “It was a very disappointing outcome for us,” lamented Bulldogs skipper Daniel York. “If we won we had an outside chance to grab first place on the ladder or at worst we could have consolidated second place on the ladder. It was disappointing we let that opportunity slip, especially in front of our home fans. Injuries proved costly for us but that should take nothing away from Woden. Nobody really talked them up as being a title contender this year but they’ve beaten several quality teams so they’re definitely a side to watch. They’ve had a similar playing roster for the last few years and are starting to reap the benefits of that now.”

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Herbert finds his feet

AFTER a solid if unspectacular start to life at Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan Blues five-eighth Marc Herbert showed enough in last weekend’s local derby against the Kangaroos to suggest he may just have found his feet. “It’s taken me awhile to get into my grove but I feel like I’m building,” Herbert said. “The first couple of games, I wasn’t taking it easy, but I was maybe hanging back a bit. I’d been out of the game for a while but I’m finding my feet now and I’m starting to click with the boys so it’s starting to come together a little bit. I think my previous game against Tuggeranong was my best game since coming back and then I think Saturday [against the Kangaroos] was better again.”

Read more: http://www.queanbeyanage.com.au/story/1 ... eet/?cs=12
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Kid brother's big job for Canberra

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Former Raiders under-20s hooker Ben Picker will spearhead a Canberra Regional rugby league team chasing its first Country title since 1999. The young brother of Raiders forward Joe Picker and fringe first-grader Michael Picker will wear the No. 9 jumper in Saturday's opening round match against Illawarra at Cooma. ''People like Tsai Tui and Matt Lewis and Matt Holmes, our front-rowers, they'll really enjoy playing off him because his service is excellent,'' coach Jake Giddings said. ''He's spot-on all the time in bringing those big men forward. I saw his recent game against the Queanbeyan Kangaroos and he was very effective, he's a really nice footballer.''

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Country Championship full time

Illawarra 18 defeated Canberra 12 in Cooma.
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Coach can't laugh at comedy of errors

CANBERRA representative coach Jack Giddings praised his side's ''gutsy'' effort, but lamented a terrible second-half completion rate on its way to being bundled out of the country championship. ''It was a game we shouldn't have lost really,'' Giddings said. ''It was a gutsy effort, but the mistakes came in threes sometimes. Poor ball control coming out of our red-zone cost us big time. Kids like Ben Picker, Levi Freeman, they certainly didn't do their chances any harm today. Same with Josh Ayres, he's been around a while, he was great. Nathan Smith was good. He was nice and tough. He plays back row for his club, but he can play centre as well. He was strong defensively.''

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Roos premierships up with best: Gorrell

HE HAS played six seasons in the NRL and another two in the English Super League, but retired Queanbeyan Kangaroos captain Aaron Gorrell said back-to-back premierships in the Canberra Raiders Cup were among his finest career achievements. ''The club hadn't won one in a long time and there were players and supporters there who had been through some pretty tough times,'' Gorrell said. ''We got to win one straight up, so it's special to me and to back it up the next year was great. I've played since I was four so to finish so suddenly is a bit of a shock. It's been a big part of my life but it's just time to move on and start a new chapter.''

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Warriors go shopping

WE'RE only a couple months into the Canberra Raiders Cup season, but already the West Belconnen Warriors have put out the call for a captain/coach for next season. The club will also consider a non-playing coach as it looks to find the right candidate for a two-year deal for 2014-15.

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Cooma hosts CRL Championships

Two hundred of the best Rugby League players from country NSW took part in the Country Rugby League Championships in Cooma on Saturday.

It is estimated 400 spectators watched the full day of rugby league at the Showground on Saturday to witness some top quality football being played.

The match of the day was between Illawarra and Canberra. Illawarra won the match 18-12.

Locals got along to support and cheer on Group 16- the local representative side. Seven Cooma Stallions were in the squad.

Sam Gilbert played fullback, Corey Thomas at centre, Zach Smith at five-eighth, while Tom Holmes and James Boller came off the bench. Stand outs for Group 16 were Cooma's Todd Williams and Sam Dowsett. Starting at prop Williams ran hard throughout the match, while Dowsett playing hooker continued to try and create opportunities from dummy half all game.

Many supporters were left disappointed when Group 16 were defeated by a much stronger Group 9 side 78-0. The second half was reduced by 10 minutes as Group 16, who went into the game with a number of setbacks including unavailable players and players out through injury, conceded 15 tries in total and were completely outclassed by Group 9.

The highlight of the championships was a dinner on Friday night at the Cooma Ex-Services Club with former Canberra Raiders captain Alan Tongue, current Raider Sam Williams and Country Rugby League CEO Jock Colley special guests. Local Ross Johnson, a founding member of Rugby League in Cooma, also spoke about the history of league in the town.

Alan Tongue gave an inspirational speech to the 200 players at the function, telling them how important their role was in the local community, particularly in the country.

"Whether you like it or not you are role models in your community," he said.

"A lot of people can't do what you do. A lot of people aren't courageous enough to throw on a jersey and run head first into 13 other blokes that are trying to kill them.

"Rugby League is one of these games that every time you put on the jersey your character gets tested straight away."

Tongue had a one-on-one question and answer with Cooma Colts junior, now Canberra Raider, Sam Williams.

Asking Williams the thing he loved most about rugby league, Williams replied it was the mates he had made along the way.

"The biggest thing about rugby league is the mates you make from it," he said.

"There's nothing better. We won a comp in the under 16s and we played together all through the juniors. And just winning the comp with your group of mates, I don't think there's much better than that," Williams said.

Williams said his dream would be to one day to win an NRL premiership.

"I think ultimately I would love to play for [my] Country and State of Origin," he said. "But as a team sport I think the biggest thing is trying to win a competition.

"That's the ultimate goal is to win a competition with your mates.

Group 16 vice president Dean Lynch said the function was very well received by those who attended.

"I was very happy with the Friday night function," he said.

"We were trying to promote Rugby League in the area, and good quality sport. And I think we achieved that."

http://www.coomaexpress.com.au/story/15 ... ps/?cs=567
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Re: 2013 Canberra Raiders Cup

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Does anyone know how Dylan McGrath (this year's SG Ball hooker) is going? Also, are the weekly team sheets posted anywhere?
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Erindale College narrowly lose in Round 1 of the GIO Schoolboys Cup

Erindale College in Canberra has put in a strong performance in their opening GIO Cup match. Going down narrowly to Matraville High 24-16. Erindale went into the match knowing that Matraville have been runners-up in three of the past five grand finals and, in their last encounter against Erindale in 2011, Matraville cruised to a 54-6 win. Erindale’s next match in the Gio Cup will be against St Gregory’s Campbelltown on Wednesday 19th June, at Campbelltown Stadium.

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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 7 Preview

Queanbeyan Blues (1) v West Belconnen Warriors (8) on Sunday at 3:00pm at Raiders Belconnen

Bragging rights within the Freeman household will be on the line when brothers Levi and Tori oppose each other in round seven of the TTM Canberra Raiders Cup. The pair played with each other last year for West Belconnen however Levi’s decision to switch to the Blues this year has resulted in the two rugged back-rowers playing directly opposite each other on Sunday afternoon. “It was good playing with Tori last year at West Belconnen,” said Levi the elder of the two. “We’ve always wanted to play with each other and talked about doing it when we were growing up. I wanted to try and get him to play with me here at the Blues for this year but he chose to stay. We both play on the second row and we’ll be lining up directly opposite each other so it will be very interesting.”

Other matches:
Queanbeyan Kangaroos (6) v Tuggeranong Bushrangers (5) on Sunday at 3:00pm at Freebody Oval
Woden Valley Rams (2) v Belconnen United Scholars (3) on Sunday at 3:00pm at Phillip District Oval
Goulburn Workers Bulldogs (4) v Gungahlin Bulls (7) on Sunday at 3:00pm at Goulburn Workers Arena

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Canberra Raiders Cup

Full time

Goulburn Bulldogs 44 defeated Gungahlin Bulls 16
Queanbeyan Blues 52 defeated West Belconnen Warriors 12
Belconnen United Scholars 36 defeated Woden Rams 24
Queanbeyan Roos 30 defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers 12
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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 7 Wrap Up

Queanbeyan Blues 52 defeated West Belconnen Warriors 12 at Raiders Belconnen

Levi Freeman earned bragging rights in the Freeman household after his Queanbeyan Blues smashed brother Tori’s West Belconnen Warriors on Saturday afternoon. There was plenty of banter in the lead up to the game with Levi remarking “Yeah there has been a bit of banter going on. He’s put on a bit of weight this year so he reckons he’s going to smash me. While Tori certainly held his own in the contest, it was Levi who had the last laugh, scoring a terrific try as the Blues tore West Belconnen apart. The win now sees Queanbeyan three points clear on top of the TTM Canberra Raiders Cup ladder and leading the competition statistically in attack and defence. Conversely the Warriors are still win-less at the bottom of the ladder.

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Canberra Raiders Cup Round 8 Preview

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Queanbeyan Kangaroos (5) v Belconnen United Scholars (2) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Freebody Oval

In Queanbeyan Kangaroos Coach Aaron Gorrell’s four year tenure at the club he’s seen it all; Grand Final wins and Grand Final losses and both of these two extremes have been shared with their adversaries this Saturday, the Belconnen United Scholars.

The Kangaroos defeated the Scholars 41-16 in 2010 whist Belconnen United squared the ledger last year when they defeated Queanbeyan 38-26.

“There is always a bit of feeling when we play each other,” said Gorrell. “They’ve been up there with us for the four years that I’ve been here and it’s always a great game when we meet. We know that we’ll have to be at our best against the Scholars to compete.”

Scholars Coach John Hawke agreed that the two sides have certainly developed a strong rivalry over the last couple of years and one that is punctuated by a high degree of mutual respect.

Hawke will be particularly primed for the clash given that Queanbeyan defeated Belconnen United 30-22 in round one.

“Against Queanbeyan we always know what we’re up against and there’s a great deal of respect between the two sides,” said Hawke. “We’ve had a great rivalry with them for the last four or five years so we know that we have to turn up with our A game.
“We were pretty under-done in round one but a lot has changed since then. It’s always a big game and we’ll be ready this time around.”

After losing their best player Brent Crisp after the round one loss, the Scholars have adapted to life without the 2012 Les McIntyre Medallist by unearthing some of the talented young members of the club. The Scholars haven’t suffered defeat since round two.

“We’re learning to adapt without Brent Crisp and Matt Gafa and Aiden Greenwood and Matt Britt have been outstanding for us in leading the way forward,” said Hawke.

“Our young five-eighth Bobby Roberts is getting better with each game too. It’s never easy following Crispy but he’s learning and I’m pleased with how he’s developing.”

Queanbeyan too have been hit hard by injuries with Gorrell having to retire following a serious knee injury. Hawke believes that whilst Gorrell’s absence will be felt by the Kangaroos, they have other talented players to fill his breach.

Gorrell himself believes that his stroke of misfortune has enhanced his coaching capabilities.

“It’s hard not being out there with the boys,” said Gorrell. “I get a bit more nervous because everything’s out of my hands when they run out there but the coaching role is one that I’ll hopefully be in for a few years to come and I’m enjoying it.

“Not playing definitely helps my coaching in that I can concentrate solely on the players and give them more of an individual focus at training. It may turn out to be a positive.

“It’s definitely one of the closest competitions that I’ve experienced in my time here and any team on their day is capable of a win. Hopefully it will be our day on Saturday.”

Tuggeranong Bushrangers (6) v West Belconnen Warriors (8) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Greenway

West Belconnen will look to redeem themselves for their poor opening encounter against Tuggeranong when they take on the Bushrangers on their home turf on Saturday afternoon.

The Warriors were thrashed 52-4 in round one with star Bushrangers fullback Michael Brophy creating havoc for West Belconnen every time he touched the ball.

Fortunately for the Warriors, Tuggeranong will be without their talented custodian with Brophy having succumbed to injury.

“Tuggeranong gave us a touch up in round one but we are definitely improving every week and hopefully we can roll on from our last couple of performances and notch up a win this weekend,” said West Belconnen hooker Nic Whatman.

“Brophy is a massive loss for them. He is very quick and always puts them on the front foot with his kick returns. They will miss his direction from the back.

“In saying that though Tuggeranong are a tough side and have other players that are just as dangerous. They have quick halves and their forwards are also strong which puts them on the front foot for their backs to do damage out wide.

Whatman believes that his Captain Wayne Bullock is set for a dominant performance.

“Wayne Bullock is primed for a big game. He is very inspirational in attack and defence and has probably been one of our best forwards all year. We will be looking to him to lead us from the front again. Also, Kane Nathan is returning from injury and will be up for a big one against his old club.”

Gungahlin Bulls (7) v Woden Valley Rams (4) on Saturday at 3:00pm at Raiders Belconnen

Woden will be looking to keep pace with the top four after they slipped from second place to fourth following their loss to the Scholars last week.

With the Kangaroos also locked on eight competition points with the Rams, a win this week against the Gungahlin Bulls is essential to keep up with the other semi-final contenders.

The Bulls will be looking to extract revenge on the Rams after Woden defeated Gungahlin 30-20 in round one.

Inspirational Gungahlin Captain-Coach Josh Ayres will have employed a strong focus on defence this week with the Rams ranked as the second best attacking side in the competition.

Woden’s goal-kicking centre Tim Crome has a lot to do with this impressive stat and he will no doubt be a heavily marked man by the Bulls on Saturday.

Goulburn Workers Bulldogs (3) v Queanbeyan Blues (1) on Sunday at 3:00pm at Goulburn Workers Arena

Whilst Queanbeyan demolished Goulburn 40-22 in round one, Blues Coach Simon Woolford is anticipating a vastly improved Bulldogs outfit ahead of their match on Sunday afternoon.

The Blues followed that impressive win with two less than impressive performances including a loss to Woden in round three. They have since recovered from that dip in form to ascend to first place on the ladder.

The fact that Goulburn has also climbed to third place on the ladder should make for a highly entertaining game.

“We had a good win against them in round one but I think that they’ve improved a lot since then and I dare say that we’ve improved a fair bit too,” said Woolford. “We played pretty well that day but we were always going to take a bit of time to improve with new players in key positions.”

Goulburn are traditionally hard to beat at home and Woolford believes that this will make the Bulldogs a much tougher proposition this time around.

“We’ve got to play over there this time around and it’s always difficult to win over there at Goulburn Workers Arena.”

Whilst the Bulldogs are ranked as the second best team in the competition defensively, Woolford is also wary of the side’s attack.

“They’ve got plenty of quality players to create points. Chappell in the centres has done a good job for them all year and he actually made us look silly a few times in the first round as well. He’ll be a player that we’ll be doing a bit of homework on as well as young Ben Picker at hooker who’s very creative.”

Queanbeyan has recently received a boost with the acquisition of former Gold Coast Titan Jordan Rapana. Whilst Woolford is thrilled to have the services of the talented outside back, he concedes that it may not be for much longer.

“Jordan went well for his first game of league in four years. He was very keen to get his hands on the footy and he certainly does have a quality about him. It may be the last time we have him with us because I’m sure that he’ll be going onto bigger and better things. He’ll probably end up with Mounties pretty soon at some stage I reckon.”

Goulburn has received a timely boost for the clash against Queanbeyan, with the return of their inspirational skipper Daniel York who has remarkably recovered from what was thought to be a season ending back injury.

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Grand finalists still adjusting to life after stars

They've both lost key playmakers who steered them to last year's decider, but Queanbeyan Kangaroos and Belconnen United remain confident of contending for the most open Canberra Raiders Cup title in years. Having filled a captain-coach role for the Kangaroos the past three years, a serious knee injury has forced Aaron Gorrell to hang up the boots. The Scholars will attempt to defend their premiership without pivot Brent Crisp, who has moved to Queensland to work in the mines.

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