2017 Canberra Raiders Cup

Post by **greeneyed** » April 27, 2017, 8:34 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 4 Preview

There are again some great contests in prospect this weekend in Round 4 of the Canberra Raiders Cup - on both Saturday and Sunday.

Canberra Raiders Cup Round 3 highlights

Saturday's action is headlined by the clash between the seventh placed Gungahlin Bulls and the table topping Queanbeyan Blues at Gungahlin.

The Bulls produced a very good win in Round 1, to defeat the 2016 premiers, the West Belconnen Warriors. However, they found it tough going away from home in the past two weeks, with some heavy defeats at the hands of the Bushrangers and the Kangaroos.

The Blues have had the strongest start to the season of any team under new player/coach Terry Campese - winning all three matches to date.

Former Raiders forward, Kyle O'Donnell, has returned to rugby league with the Queanbeyan Blues this season - and he is expecting a tough match against the Bulls.

"I'm sure they'll put up a good fight. I know last week against Goulburn was a pretty physical game, so I'm sure the Gungahlin forwards will put up something similar."

O'Donnell retired prematurely at the end of 2015, aiming to focus on his next career in construction. But Campese pressed him back into service in the Canberra Raiders Cup.

"At first I was a little bit reluctant," O'Donnell said, laughing. "But I came around in the end, so I'm having a run. I'm glad I did because it's pretty enjoyable."

On Sunday, the Woden Valley Rams will meet a resurgent Yass Magpies at Phillip.

It is second versus third on the competition ladder in what is probably the match of the round. Both teams are on maximum competition points after three rounds - courtesy of a bye and two first up wins.

The Magpies have been something of a surprise packet, with a huge win over the Belconnen United Sharks - and which they followed up with a quality victory over the Warriors at Raiders Belconnen.

Magpies coach Steve Naughton made a great return to the field last weekend after an absence of five years - scoring two tries. Whatever he's doing at Yass, he seems to be doing something right!

The Rams have been winning, but in less convincing fashion - producing a last minute win over the Bulldogs, before being pushed all the way by the Sharks last weekend.

In other matches, the Queanbeyan Kangaroos meet the Belconnen United Sharks at home on Saturday, while the Goulburn Bulldogs clash with the Tuggeranong Bushrangers at Goulburn on Sunday. Form suggests the Kangaroos and Bushrangers should be too strong.

This Friday night will also see the first ever round of the Canberra Raiders Cup women's tackle league. There are six teams involved, so why not get out and see a little piece of history! There's a game at Canberra, Queanbeyan and Goulburn:

Tuggeranong Buffaloes V Queanbeyan Blues at Greenway at 7pm
Queanbeyan Kangaroos V Yass Magpies at Freebody at 7.45pm
Goulburn v Valley Dragons at Goulburn at 7.45pm

The Greenhouse will be heading to Phillip on Sunday for the Rams and Magpies - with live scores via @CanberraCup on Twitter and half and full time scores right here.

If you can't make it to a game, you can check out the Round 4 feature match live streams thanks to the Bar TV Sports YouTube channel:

Plus don't forget you can see full match replays and highlights in all grades on the Bar TV Sports YouTube channel.

Round 4:

Saturday 29 April 3:00pm
Gungahlin Bulls V Queanbeayan Blues, Gungahlin
Queanbeyan Kangaroos V Belconnen United Sharks, Freebody Oval

Sunday 30 April 2:00pm
Goulburn Bulldogs V Tuggeranong Bushrangers, Goulburn Arena

Sunday 30 April 3:00pm
Woden Valley Rams V Yass Magpies, Phillip Oval

Bye West Belconnen Warriors

Canberra Raiders Cup Round 4 teams and program: https://issuu.com/raiderscanberra/docs/2017_crc_rd_4
Draw: Click here
Ladder: Click here

Post by **greeneyed** » April 28, 2017, 1:33 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 4 Preview

Both sitting on six competition points, the third-placed Rams and second-placed Yass Magpies are looking to snag a win to potentially clinch first on the ladder. However, any opportunity to claim first place depends on the Gungahlin Bulls upsetting the Queanbeyan Blues.

“I reckon they’re going to be a really great side this year,” Woden coach Steve Ferry said. “They have recruited well and they have had a great start to the season. It’s definitely going to be a tough game. They’re going to have a big forward pack and they’ve got strike on the edges.”

Read more: http://www.raiders.com.au/news/2017/04/ ... berra.html

Post by **greeneyed** » April 28, 2017, 6:51 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Woden Valley Rams five-eighth Jack Hickson inspired by young gun Nick Cotric

Nick Cotric was giving him tries last season, now he's giving Woden Valley Rams five-eighth Jack Hickson inspiration to realise his NRL dream.

"I played a few different positions [last year], but a majority of them on the wing outside of Nick," Hickson said. "He certainly is [an inspiration]. I know him quite well and I've played with him so to see him be so successful and do so well at a high level I take a lot of motivation out of it."

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a ... vugad.html

Post by **greeneyed** » April 29, 2017, 10:41 pm

Queanbeyan Blues captain-coach Terry Campese backs Jake Wheeler to make the leap from Canberra Raiders Cup

Blues captain-coach Terry Campese thinks Jake Wheeler has what it takes to make the leap to Mounties - the Canberra Raiders' feeder team - in the NSW Cup.

"He's been outstanding and he's definitely been the best player for us this year," Campese said.

"If he keeps playing how he is I'll definitely put his name forward to the Mounties coach [Steve Antonelli] and hopefully push for a spot there.

Canberra Raiders Cup round four

QUEANBEYAN BLUES 34 (B Taueki 2, I Ngata 2, J Wheeler, T Campese tries; T Campese 5 goals) defeated GUNGAHLIN BULLS 18 (S Bramich, D Hay, J Smith-Shields tries; S Opo 2, D Keir goals)

QUEANBEYAN KANGAROOS 50 (J Simbiken 2, D Reid, G Afemui, B Crisp 2, L Jones, S Afemui 2 tries; B Crisp 7 goals) defeated BELCONNEN SHARKS 10 (B Sione 2 tries; D Eason goal)

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a ... vvavy.html

Sent from my iPhone using The Greenhouse mobile app powered by Tapatalk

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » April 30, 2017, 1:42 pm

Welcome to our coverage of today's Canberra Raiders Cup matches! We're here at Phillip for the Woden Valley Rams V Yass Magpies which kicks off at 3pm. Don't forget there's a live stream of Goulburn Bulldogs V Tuggeranong Bushrangers, which kicks off at 2pm!

We will have live scores on Twitter via @CanberraCup, with half and full time scores right here. Plus check The GH Instagram for pics from Phillip.

In Reserve Grade, Woden Valley Rams lead 6-0 after 20 minutes.

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » April 30, 2017, 3:09 pm

HALF TIME

Tuggeranong Bushrangers 18
Goulburn Bulldogs 14

Currently 18-18 after 55 minutes.

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » April 30, 2017, 3:46 pm

FULL TIME

Goulburn Bulldogs 30 defeated
Tuggeranong Bushrangers 22

HALF TIME

Yass Magpies 18
Woden Valley Rams 6

Woden's Michael Gilmour sent off for a spear tackle.

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » April 30, 2017, 5:28 pm

FULL TIME

Yass Magpies 24 drew
Woden Valley Rams 24

Post by **greeneyed** » April 30, 2017, 9:28 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: 12-man Woden Valley Rams fight back for draw against Yass Magpies

Two tries down and a man short with the Canberra Raiders Cup leading try scorer sent from the field, but still the Woden Valley Rams fought back for a 24-24 draw against the Yass Magpies.

Rams second-rower Michael Gilmour, who went into the weekend as the league's leading scorer with five tries, was sent off in the 19th minute for a spear tackle.

Goulburn Workers Bulldogs 30 (D Stephens 3, N Cornish, Z Hart, P Cooke tries; B Hewitt 3 goals) defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers 22 (Jayden Pollard 2, John Wesley Tauti, Joshua Mitchell tries; Mitchell 2, P Demamiel goals)

Woden Valley Rams 24 (Cleveland McGhie 2, Kosta Posantzis, Adam Lucas tries; Carl Johnson 4 goals) dw Yass Magpies 24 (Jai Smith 2, Andrew Swaffield, Junior Vatikani tries; Shaun Davis 4 goals)

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a ... vvtzt.html

Post by **greeneyed** » May 1, 2017, 4:58 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 4 Wrap up

The Woden Valley Rams and Yass Magpies remain undefeated in the Canberra Raiders Cup in 2017, after the teams fought out a 24 all draw at Phillip Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The early stages were a real arm wrestle, and the match was still scoreless when Woden's second rower Michael Gilmour was sent off for a spear tackle in the 19th minute. He completely upturned Magpies five eighth Steve Naughton - who was fortunately uninjured in the incident. Gilmour has been in red hot form in 2017, having already scored five tries this season.

The Magpies quickly took advantage of playing just 12 men, with two tries to winger Jai Smith, and Yass shot out to a 12-0 lead after 31 minutes.

The Rams kept themselves in the contest when Woden second rower Cleveland McGhie scored a try in the 34th minute. But an Andrew Swaffield four pointer just before half time gave Yass an 18-6 lead at half time - and at that stage, it looked like it would be a comfortable win for the Magpies.

But the Rams simply would not go away. Cleveland McGhie was back in the action in the 43rd minute with a sensational offload, setting up a Woden Valley try to Kosta Posantzis.

Magpies centre Junior Vatikana made a great run to the try line in the 50th minute, giving his team a 24-12 lead. But that was to be the end of the scoring for the visitors - with the 12 man Woden Valley outfit wrestling back control of the game in the final half hour.

Rams hooker Adam Lucas scored a try from close range in the 62nd minute, and that was followed up by a second try to Cleveland McGhie in the 69th minute - after the Rams had forced a line drop out on the Magpies. It set up an exciting final 10 minutes, with both teams having opportunities to win the match.

Yass gifted the Rams a golden opportunity after the second McGhie try, when they were judged off side at the restart. Woden then forced a line drop out - but lost the ball on the last tackle, just five metres from the line.

With less than five minutes remaining, Rams' half Carl Johnson was in position to take a field goal, but the Magpies defence threatened - and he ended up throwing a forward pass on the last.

The Magpies also had some good attacking chances in good field position, but could not convert them.

The Yass team was disconsolate after the match, but the Woden camp was buoyant - and no doubt felt that the draw was as good as a win in the circumstances.

On Saturday the Queanbeyan Blues made it four wins in a row to start the season, with a win over the Bulls at Gungahlin.

The Bulls went to an early 6-0 lead after Raiders' NYC player, Sato Keita Opo kicked ahead and the Blues fumbled the ball near the try line - allowing Brad Wood to pick it up and fall over for a four pointer.

The Blues fought back, with powerful forward Illaisi Ngata boring through the defensive line for a try in the 14th minute - and they backed it up with a try to captain/coach Terry Campese just five minutes later, delivering a 12-6 lead.

That lead was extended just before half time when the Blues' Brendon Taueki intercepted a long looping pass and ran 85 metres to score under the posts - giving the Queanbeyan side an 18-6 advantage at the break.

In the 45th minute, Bulls hooker Dale Cooper Shields produced a great cut out pass, putting winger Sam Bramich over in the corner. The Blues hit straight back, with Terry Campese feeding the ball out to the left and Brendon Taueki scored his second try of the day.

The 22-12 scoreline was unchanged until five minutes from full time, when Blues fullback Jake Wheeler gathered a kick and went on an exciting 80 metre run to the try line - fending off defenders as he went. It made the match safe for the Blues.

Drury Low set up a consolation try for the Bulls to Michael Sollis in the corner with three minutes remaining. But the Blues put the icing on the cake when Illaisi Ngata crashed through in the final minute. The Terry Campese conversion delivered a 34-18 final scoreline for Blues.

"It was definitely closer than what the scoreboard reflected. We scored late in that second half to make it blowout a little bit," Blues captain/coach Campese said after the match.

"I think [Gungahlin are] going to be fighting it out in semi-finals as well this year. The way they played today, if they can play like that for the rest of the year they'll definitely give the comp a shake."

In other matches, the Queanbeyan Kangaroos were way too strong for the Belconnen United Sharks at Freebody Oval, winning 50-10, after leading 30-10 at half time. On Sunday, the Goulburn Bulldogs trailed 18-14 at half time, but powered on at their home ground in the second half, running out 30-22 victors. Winger Dominic Stephens scored a hat trick.

Canberra Raiders Cup Round 4

Full match replays:

Results:

Saturday

Queanbeyan Blues 34 (B Taueki 2, I Ngata 2, J Wheeler, T Campese tries; T Campese 5 goals) defeated Gungahlin Bulls 18 (S Bramich, D Hay, J Smith-Shields tries; S Opo 2, D Keir goals)

Queanbeyan Kangaroos 50 (J Simbiken 2, D Reid, G Afemui, B Crisp 2, L Jones, S Afemui 2 tries; B Crisp 7 goals) defeated Belconnen United Sharks 10 (B Sione 2 tries; D Eason goal)

Sunday

Goulburn Bulldogs 30 (D Stephens 3, N Cornish, Z Hart, P Cooke tries; B Hewitt 3 goals) defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers 22 (Jayden Pollard 2, John Wesley Tauti, Joshua Mitchell tries; Mitchell 2, P Demamiel goals)

Woden Valley Rams 24 (Cleveland McGhie 2, Kosta Posantzis, Adam Lucas tries; Carl Johnson 4 goals) drew Yass Magpies 24 (Jai Smith 2, Andrew Swaffield, Junior Vatikani tries; Shaun Davis 4 goals)

Canberra Raiders Cup ladder: http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info. ... 1&a=LADDER

Round 5:

Saturday 6 May 3:00pm
Belconnen United Sharks V Gungahlin Bulls, O'Connor
Woden Valley Rams V West Belconnen Warriors, Phillip Oval
Yass Magpies V Tuggeranong Bushrangers, Walker Park, Yass

Sunday 7 May 2:00pm
Goulburn Bulldogs V Queanbeyan Kangaroos, Goulburn Arena

Bye Queanbeyan Blues

Post by **greeneyed** » May 3, 2017, 4:07 pm

Yass Magpies forward Anthony Worthy to play 250th game in charity round

Admirable is a man at 38 years old who regularly makes selection for a first-grade team. And not just selection, but selection in a forwards position where the body is bashed and thrashed more often than not.

That is exactly what stalwart player Anthony Worthy is. The Yass Magpies player will play his 250th game for the club in the charity round on Saturday, May 6 against the Tuggeranong Bushrangers. It will be at home, at Walker Park.

Read more: http://www.yasstribune.com.au/story/463 ... milestone/

Post by **greeneyed** » May 4, 2017, 10:39 am

Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 5 Preview

It's the representative round this weekend, with the ANZAC Test played in Canberra on Friday night... and the NRL is taking a break. So it's the perfect chance to get to a ground and check a Round 5 Canberra Raiders Cup match this weekend.

Canberra Raiders Cup Round 4 highlights

There are two big clashes on Saturday, with the teams running equal second on the ladder meeting the teams running equal fifth.

The surprise packets of the 2017 competition, the Yass Magpies will meet the Tuggeranong Bushrangers at the home of the Magpies, Walker Park.

The Magpies are undefeated so far, after they drew with the Woden Valley Rams, 24-24 at Phillip last Sunday. Yass coach Steve Naughton would be disappointed with the draw, as his team was played against 12 men for 60 minutes - after Woden second rower Michael Gilmour was sent off for a spear tackle on Naughton.

The Magpies let the Rams back into that match, after they led 24-12 at the 50th minute - and left the field a despondent outfit, despite salvaging one competition point.

Tuggeranong is on the road again, visiting Yass after a 30-22 loss to the Goulburn Bulldogs. The Bushrangers led 18-6 at one stage in the first half, and 18-14 at half time. However, the Bulldogs overpowered them in the second half.

Bushrangers coach Justin Giteau says his team has been performing reasonably, but consistency is the problem.

"I think we've been fair, inconsistent. We play good footy at time, but we still haven't put together 80 minutes yet - we're only putting together 10 minutes here and there - and until we do that we're not going to be up competing with the top sides that's for sure," Giteau told The Canberra Times.

At Phillip, the undefeated Woden Valley Rams will meet the West Belconnen Warriors.

The Rams have been winning, but they have produced only narrow victories over the Bulldogs and the struggling Sharks. They did well to force the draw last weekend, playing with 12 men.

The 2016 premiers, the West Belconnen Warriors, are coming off the bye. They have had a slow start to the season, losing to both the Bulls and the Magpies. Their sole win has been against the Goulburn Bulldogs.

Both matches should be good contests, with the Magpies and Rams probably starting favourites. But it won't surprise if the Bushrangers and Warriors can come up with wins.

In Saturday's other match, the Belconnen United Sharks meet the Gungahlin Bulls at O'Connor. Both teams are at the foot of the competition ladder, but it's difficult to see the Sharks matching the Bulls.

So far this season, the Sharks have conceded an average of just over 50 points per match, while scoring an average of 12 points - and have lost all four of their matches.

The Bulls started the season well, with a win over the Warriors, but they're on a three match losing streak. They have had a tough draw, facing the Queanbeyan Kangaroos and Blues in the past two weeks, so coaches David Howell and Lincoln Withers will be looking for a turnaround this weekend.

On Sunday, the Goulburn Bulldogs host the Queanbeyan Kangaroos.

The Roos are running fourth on the ladder, but a "power ranking" would have them running second to the Blues.

The Kangaroos lost in the Queanbeyan derby by 10 points, but have produced three very strong wins in their other matches. They have scored at an average of 35 points per match, while conceding 17.5. That's an attacking record second only to the Blues, and defence that is not far from the best outfits.

It'll be a very tough assignment for the Bulldogs to overcome the ruthless Roos, despite playing at home.

The Greenhouse will be heading to Walker Park, Yass on Saturday for the Magpies and Bushrangers. On Sunday, we will be at Goulburn for the Goulburn Bulldogs V Queanbeyan Kangaroos. We'll have live scores via @CanberraCup on Twitter and half and full time scores right here.

If you can't make it to a game, you can check out the Round 5 feature match live stream right here thanks to the Bar TV Sports YouTube channel:

Plus don't forget you can see full match replays and highlights in all grades on the Bar TV Sports YouTube channel. It's been a terrific innovation from the Canberra Region Rugby League this season.

Round 5:

Saturday 6 May 3:00pm
Belconnen United Sharks V Gungahlin Bulls, O'Connor
Woden Valley Rams V West Belconnen Warriors, Phillip Oval
Yass Magpies V Tuggeranong Bushrangers, Walker Park, Yass

Sunday 7 May 2:00pm
Goulburn Bulldogs V Queanbeyan Kangaroos, Goulburn Arena

Bye Queanbeyan Blues

Canberra Raiders Cup teams and program: https://issuu.com/raiderscanberra/docs/2017_crc_rd_5
George Tooke Shield teams and program: https://issuu.com/raiderscanberra/docs/2017_gts_rd_3
Draw: Click here
Ladder: Click here

Post by **greeneyed** » May 4, 2017, 6:37 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Round Five Preview

The undefeated Magpies will be looking to bounce back from the 24-all draw on the weekend and, like the Rams, the second-placed high-flyers will be out to clinch top spot on the ladder.

Magpies coach Steve Naughton said he is not surprised that his side remains undefeated after four rounds of competition.

"Not surprised," he said. "I think we’ve got a pretty handy team on paper. We’re just trying to play to our potential and consistently each week will be the challenge."

Read more: http://www.raiders.com.au/news/2017/05/ ... berra.html

Post by **greeneyed** » May 5, 2017, 8:20 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Queanbeyan Kangaroos Kiwi Nukurua Ngere chasing a dream

Nukurua Ngere left behind his family in Auckland to book himself on a plane and chase a dream.

"I flew over from New Zealand because I wanted to try out the league out here in Australia," Ngere said. "We went up to the Blues club first and tried to get a contact out there and we didn't end up getting a call back from one of their coaches, so we went up to the Roos club.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a ... vygs0.html

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » May 6, 2017, 2:30 pm

Welcome to our coverage of today's Canberra Raiders Cup matches! We're here at Walker Park, Yass for the Yass Magpies V Tuggeranong Bushrangers which kicks off at 3pm. Don't forget there's a live stream of Belconnen United Sharks V Gungahlin Bulls which also kicks off at 3pm.

We will have live scores on Twitter via @CanberraCup, with half and full time scores right here. Plus check The GH Instagram for pics from Yass.

In Reserve Grade, Yass Magpies lead 8-6 with 20 minutes remaining.

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » May 6, 2017, 4:07 pm

HALF TIME

Belconnen United Sharks 14
Gungahlin Bulls 6

It's six all at Yass with 17 minutes to go in the first half, after a Bushrangers player seriously dislocated/broke ankle.

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » May 6, 2017, 5:08 pm

FULL TIME

Gungahlin Bulls defeated Belconnen United Sharks 36-18

Tuggeranong Bushrangers 26 defeated Yass Magpies 16

West Belconnen Warriors 30 defeated Woden Valley Rams 22

Post by **greeneyed** » May 6, 2017, 8:44 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Sato Ketia-Opo gifts Gungahlin Bulls a comeback opportunity

He was named at lock, started at hooker, and orchestrated a late comeback victory from halfback - Sato Ketia-Opo is fast becoming the Gungahlin Bulls' "Mr Fix It".

The former Queensland under 16's representative's breathtaking left foot step carried the Bulls to a 36-18 win over the Belconnen United Sharks at O'Connor Oval on Saturday.

Gungahlin Bulls 36 (S Bramich, J Elliot, S Opo, D Low 2, J Scholes tries; J Scholes 2, D Keir 4 goals) defeated Belconnen United Sharks 18 (D Faigafa 3, J Crane tries; D Eason goal)

Tuggeranong Bushrangers 26 (J Mitchell 2, M Holmes, J Pollard, W Tauti tries; J Mitchell 3 goals) defeated Yass Magpies 16 (S Sotogi, D Danilzcak, J Newling tries; S Davis 2 goals)

West Belconnen Warriors 30 (T Freeman-Quay, R McQueen, M Shaw, T Sloman, Ryley Thomas tries; B Roberts 5 goals) defeated Woden Valley Rams 22 (J Hickson, C McGhie, B Prior, K Vaetoe tries; C Johnson goals)

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a ... vzizl.html

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » May 7, 2017, 1:07 pm

Welcome to our coverage of today's Canberra Raiders Cup match. We're here at Goulburn for the Goulburn Bulldogs V Queanbeyan Kangaroos. Kick off is at 2:00pm.

We will have live scores on Twitter via @CanberraCup, with half and full time scores right here. Plus check The GH Instagram for pics.

In Reserve Grade, Queanbeyan Kangaroos lead Goulburn Bulldogs 26-6 at half time.

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » May 7, 2017, 5:17 pm

HALF TIME

@CanberraCup

Canberra Raiders Cup HT: #Queanbeyan Kangaroos lead #Goulburn Bulldogs 36-4 #CRCup

FULL TIME

@CanberraCup

Canberra Raiders Cup FT #Queanbeyan Kangaroos defeated #Goulburn Bulldogs 58-8 #CRCup

Post by **greeneyed** » May 7, 2017, 5:42 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Aaron Gorrell and the Queanbeyan Kangaroos face a nervous wait on the injury front

The Queanbeyan Kangaroos piled 58 points on the Goulburn Workers Bulldogs but face an anxious wait to learn their fate on the injury front.

The Roos finished without player-coach Aaron Gorrell, front-rower Jarred Pearce, and young gun Lazarus Vaalepu in the 58-8 demolition at Goulburn Workers Arena on Sunday. Fears the premiership contenders could be left without Pearce for the season have risen after he left the ground with a suspected anterior cruciate ligament tear.

Queanbeyan Kangaroos 58 (T Whiley, G Afemui, A Taholo, B Crisp, J Essex 2, N Ngere 2, T Aroha-Tuinauvai 2 tries; B Crisp 9 goals) defeated Goulburn Bulldogs 8 (B Hewitt, M Worboys tries)

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a ... vzp3i.html

Post by **greeneyed** » May 8, 2017, 12:47 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 5 Wrap up

The Queanbeyan Blues remain the only team undefeated after five rounds, but cross town rivals, the Queanbeyan Kangaroos are in striking distance of the competition lead, after posting 50 points or more in wins in the last two weeks.

On Saturday, the previously undefeated Yass Magpies and Woden Valley Rams fell - with the Tuggeranong Bushrangers and West Belconnen Warriors coming out on top.

At Yass, a serious injury - a badly dislocated/broken ankle - for the Bushrangers Matt Lyons delayed play for around 40 minutes, with first one, then two ambulance vehicles driving on the field to treat him. Both teams headed back into the sheds, and ended up warming up twice for the game.

When the match halted at the 18th minute, the scores were level at six apiece - after the Bushies' hooker Josh Mitchell went over in the first minute, and the Magpies struck back three minutes later, through a try to prop Sam Sotogi.

The Bushrangers' injury woes continued in the 26th minute, when fullback Michael Brophy left the field, his jersey forming a makeshift sling, due to a shoulder problem. But all the disruptions were not stopping Tuggeranong. Just a minute later, a Matt Holmes try gave the Bushrangers a 12-6 lead.

Yass lock Kyle Danilczak took advantage of a spilt ball in the 33rd minute, racing away for a try. And another Magpies try to Josh Newling in the 50th minute, gave the home team a 16-12 advantage.

It looked like the Bushrangers might start to struggle, with two men missing from the bench. But with around 20 minutes remaining, a try to Tuggeranong's Jayden Pollard levelled the scores, after the Magpies failed to handle a bomb.

And it was the Bushrangers who came home the stronger in the final stages. Twelve minutes from full time, Tuggeranong failed to break the deadlock, after an attempted penalty goal hit the post. But the deadlock was broken two minutes later, when John Wesley Tauti made a sweeping, charging run to score in the corner. Hooker Josh Mitchell sealed it for the visitors with a try with two minutes remaining - delivering a courageous 26-16 victory.

At O'Connor, it looked like the Belconnen United Sharks would produce their first win of the season - when they led 14-0 in the first half and 18-16 with just over 10 minutes remaining. But Raiders Under 20s player and stand in hooker Sato Ketia-Opo then unleashed.

The Bulls scored three tries and a penalty goal in the last 10 minutes or so, with Keita-Opo scoring a double - one to give Gungahlin the lead, and the other right on full time. Drury Low also scored a double for the Bulls, while Desmond Faigafa scored an early hat trick for the Sharks.

"I thought [Keita-Opo] was probably a big reason why we finished the game like we did," Bulls mentor Lincoln Withers told The Canberra Times. "His ball playing was really good. He's one of the Raiders kids that came back to us from the 20s squad so it was good to see him put a stamp on the game and show his talent."

Sadly for the Sharks and coach Scott Logan, the 36-18 final score line didn't really reflect the difference between the teams.

At Woden, the West Belconnen Warriors defeated a Rams outfit missing gun second rower Michael Gilmour, 30-22 in the other match on Saturday, while the Queanbeyan Kangaroos piled on 58 points in a 50 point win over the Goulburn Bulldogs on Sunday.

The Kangaroos led 36-4 at half time, and it was really a no contest for the entire 80 minutes. Halfback Josh Essex scored a double just before half time - and would have scored three in the first half, but for a disallowed try in the 28th minute. Nukurua Ngere also scored a double, the first in the 17th minute and the second in the 42nd - giving the Roos a 40-4 lead. Tolokana Aroha-Tuinauvai, playing in the centres, also scored a double for the Kangaroos.

The scoring slowed for the Queanbeyan team in the second half, with the visitors struck by injuries. Forward Jarred Pearce was chaired from the field by the trainers after suffering a suspected ACL injury in the first half. The Roos also lost player/coach Aaron Gorrell (back) and Lazarus Vaalepu (knee).

Coach Aaron Gorrell thought his team could have put more points on the board, and it was almost like they got bored with scoring.

"It's always pleasing to win by that but we're not comfortable," Gorrell told The Canberra Times. "We're not anywhere near where we want to be and we all know we have to improve if we want to be there on the last day in September."

Canberra Raiders Cup Round 5

Full match replays:

Results:

Saturday

Gungahlin Bulls 36 (S Bramich, J Elliot, S Opo 2, D Low 2 tries; J Scholes 2, D Keir 4 goals) defeated Belconnen United Sharks 18 (D Faigafa 3, J Crane tries; D Eason goal)

Tuggeranong Bushrangers 26 (J Mitchell 2, M Holmes, J Pollard, W Tauti tries; J Mitchell 3 goals) defeated Yass Magpies 16 (S Sotogi, D Danilzcak, J Newling tries; S Davis 2 goals)

West Belconnen Warriors 30 (T Freeman-Quay, R McQueen, M Shaw, T Sloman, Ryley Thomas tries; B Roberts 5 goals) defeated Woden Valley Rams 22 (J Hickson, C McGhie, B Prior, K Vaetoe tries; C Johnson goals)

Sunday

Queanbeyan Kangaroos 58 (T Whiley, G Afemui, A Taholo, B Crisp, J Essex 2, N Ngere 2, T Aroha-Tuinauvai 2 tries; B Crisp 9 goals) defeated Goulburn Bulldogs 8 (B Hewitt, M Worboys tries)

Canberra Raiders Cup ladder: http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info. ... 1&a=LADDER

Round 6:

Saturday 13 May 3:00pm
Gungahlin Bulls V Goulburn Bulldogs, Gungahlin
Queanbeyan Blues V Yass Magpies, Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan
West Belconnen Warriors V Belconnen United Sharks, Raiders Belconnen
Tuggeranong Bushrangers V Woden Valley Rams, Greenway (Live stream feature match)

Bye Queanbeyan Kangaroos

And follow The Greenhouse on Facebook: The Greenhouse Forum, Twitter: @TheGHRaiders and Instagram: @TheGHRaiders

Post by **greeneyed** » May 8, 2017, 9:04 pm

Wow, just got around to watching the Yass V Tuggeranong highlights... that ankle is pointing in a completely different direction to normal! Ouch!

zim · Post by **zim** » May 8, 2017, 9:06 pm

I'd heard about that but you mentioning it made me curious to watch it. God damn!

Post by **greeneyed** » May 9, 2017, 8:18 pm

Goulburn Bulldogs left looking for answers after big defeats in three grades

After resounding losses in three grades on Sunday, the Goulburn Bulldogs are looking for answers to lift their performances in the Canberra Raiders Cup Competition.

"A few things went against us and we have a lot of work to do at training to find answers," coach Michael Picker said. "We did far too much defending and, with missed tackles and poor passing, we gave them scoring opportunities, which they took."

Read more: http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/46 ... r-answers/

Mysterio · Post by **Mysterio** » May 10, 2017, 11:00 am

Good round with exciting matches!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Post by **greeneyed** » May 10, 2017, 3:17 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 6 Preview

Round 6 of the Canberra Raiders Cup is headlined by the clash between the Queanbeyan Blues and Yass Magpies at Seiffert Oval on Saturday afternoon.

It's first versus third on the ladder - with the Blues still undefeated and the Yass Magpies suffering their first loss last weekend at the hands of the Tuggeranong Bushrangers.

Canberra Raiders Cup Round 5 highlights

It'll be a tough test for the Magpies, who have, perhaps unexpectedly, produced two wins and a draw to start the 2017 season. The wins have come against the 2016 premiers, the Warriors, and the Sharks - with one competition point earned against the Rams.

It is just the second year back in the top grade of the Canberra Raiders Cup for Yass, after spending three years in the wilderness. So coach Steve Naughton and the Yass club have done a great job in making the team competitive so quickly.

But Terry Campese's Blues outfit has swept aside all opposition to date. With the Queanbeyan Kangaroos, the Blues are early favourites for the title. They have averaged 45 points per match in 2017, while conceding an average of 17.

The Magpies' defence is not far off the Blues (18.5 conceded on average per match) and they're no slouches in attack (30 points on average per match) - but they don't have the strike of the Blues.

The Queanbeyan outfit is coming off a bye, so they should be well rested - but sometimes the break disrupts the rhythm. That might be the Magpies' best hope, but Naugton will no doubt have his team primed to try and spring an upset.

There'll also be a very good contest at Greenway on Saturday, where the Tuggeranong Bushrangers meet the Woden Valley Rams. The fifth placed Bushrangers are just one competition point away from the fourth placed Rams - and will see this as their chance to leap frog them into the top four.

Both teams have scored an average of around 24 points, but the Bushrangers have slightly better defence - conceding around 22 points a match, while the Rams concede 25. Tuggeranong are coming off a courageous win over the Magpies, while the Rams lost their first match of the season last weekend to the Warriors.

Both Dayne Ewings of the Bushrangers is expecting a tough clash and a good turnout from the supporters of the neighbouring clubs.

"The boys have talked about it, they say this is a game they [the Rams] get up for, there's usually a big gate with local rivals," Ewings said.

The Rams face the challenge of missing some players and their coach, on representative duty - and the even bigger challenge from the Bushies' forwards.

"This year they've got a big forward pack, so we've got to make sure we match them up the middle and play off the back of quick play the balls and go from there," Rams prop Jeff Morgan said.

If you cannot make it to Greenway, this will be the feature match live streamed thanks to the Bar TV Sports YouTube channel:

In other matches, the Gungahlin Bulls meet the Goulburn Bulldogs at Gungahlin, while the West Belconnen Warriors meet the Belconnen United Sharks at Raiders Belconnen.

The Bulls find themselves in seventh place on the competition ladder, after three straight losses to the Bushrangers, Kangaroos and Blues. And for 70 minutes against the winless Sharks last weekend, it looked like they would crash to their fourth. However, they powered home in the final 10 minutes, putting on three tries and a penalty goal to secure a 36-18 win.

The Bulldogs are licking their wounds after a 50 point loss to the Queanbeyan Kangaroos. They'll be looking for help from Tyler Cornish, who has joined the Dogs after leaving the Gold Coast Titans. Cornish made his NRL debut in Round 3, but took the decision to head home to Goulburn after he was not offered a full time contract for the rest of the season.

"There appears to be the makings of a pretty good team [at Goulburn], but we need to work on the basics to secure the ball and not give away penalties," Cornish told The Goulburn Post after Sunday's loss. "No doubt [player/coach] Michael [Picker] will give us a lot to work on on Tuesday night at training."

It is difficult to see the Sharks upsetting the Warriors in the clash of the two Belconnen outfits. The Sharks showed a lot of effort and heart last weekend, but expect the Warriors to be too strong at Raiders Belconnen.

The Greenhouse will be heading to Cessnock Sports Ground on Saturday for the NSW Premiership match between the Canberra Raiders affiliate, Mounties and the Newcastle Knights. But we will have live score updates for the Bushrangers V Rams clash via @CanberraCup on Twitter and half and full time scores right here.

Round 6:

Saturday 13 May 3:00pm
Gungahlin Bulls V Goulburn Bulldogs, Gungahlin
Queanbeyan Blues V Yass Magpies, Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan
West Belconnen Warriors V Belconnen United Sharks, Raiders Belconnen
Tuggeranong Bushrangers V Woden Valley Rams, Greenway (Live stream feature match)

Bye Queanbeyan Kangaroos

Canberra Raiders Cup teams and program: https://issuu.com/raiderscanberra/docs/2017_crc_rd_6
George Tooke Shield teams and program: https://issuu.com/raiderscanberra/docs/2017_gts_rd_4
Draw: Click here
Ladder: Click here

And follow The Greenhouse on Facebook: The Greenhouse Forum, Twitter: @TheGHRaiders and Instagram: @TheGHRaiders

ALX22 · Post by **ALX22** » May 11, 2017, 1:53 pm

Awful injury. Big recovery ahead for the player.

Post by **greeneyed** » May 12, 2017, 5:29 pm

Canberra Raiders Cup: Round Six Preview

Having beaten the previously undefeated Yass Magpies last weekend, the Tuggeranong Bushrangers host the Woden Valley Rams in this week’s live stream match.

"It’s good to get those wins but they are wins you need to get if you have aspirations of playing finals too,” Giteau said. “We still aren’t playing outstanding footy, but it was good to get the two points," coach Justin Giteau said.

Read more: http://www.raiders.com.au/news/2017/05/ ... berra.html

Post by **greeneyed** » May 13, 2017, 7:01 am

Canberra Raiders Cup: Former Gold Coast Titans Tyler Cornish returns to Goulburn Bulldogs

When rookie Tyler Cornish scored a try under the bright lights of the NRL for the Gold Coast Titans earlier this year, he had made "a dream come true".

"If I did get a full-time training spot with the Titans then I wouldn't have left," Cornish said. "It was just more the fact that I was going to have to go back to Burleigh and find a job and do it that way. I just thought I was better off to come back home and find a job and still play footy.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a ... w36th.html

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » May 13, 2017, 1:39 pm

Don't forget that today we're at Cessnock for Mounties V Newcastle Knights in the NSW Premiership. @CanberraCup will have progress scores for the match between the Tuggeranong Bushrangers and Woden Valley Rams from 3pm. And you watch a live stream in The GH's preview of Round 6 above.

The Greenhouse · Post by **The Greenhouse** » May 13, 2017, 4:05 pm

HALF TIME

Tuggeranong Bushrangers 16
Woden Valley Rams 12

Post by **greeneyed** » May 13, 2017, 6:46 pm

FULL TIME

Tuggeranong Bushrangers 16 drew Woden Valley Rams 16
Belconnen United Sharks 34 defeated West Belconnen Warriors 20
Queanbeyan Blues 20 defeated Yass Magpies 4
Goulburn Bulldogs 32 defeated Gungahlin Bulls 24

Post by **greeneyed** » May 13, 2017, 7:17 pm

Justin Giteau slams Tuggeranong Bushrangers after draw with Woden Valley Rams

Despite almost pinching it late Tuggeranong Bushrangers coach Justin Giteau has slammed his side after a gritty 16-16 draw with an undermanned Woden Valley Rams on Saturday.

Tuggeranong Bushrangers 16 (Tries: J Pollard 2, M Uluakiola; Goals: J Mitchell 2) drew Woden Valley Rams 16 (J Pheeney, C Johnson, R Leapai; Goals: C Johnson 2)

Belconnen United Sharks 34 (Tries: D Faigafa 3, M Butz, J Brown, K Vikash; Goals: D Eason 5 ) defeated West Belconnen Warriors 20 (Tries: S Finnegan, F Harvey, J McDonnell, L Saipani; Goals: Bobby Roberts 2)

Queanbeyan Blues 20 (Tries: B Spears, J Stuckey 2, M Day; Goals: T Campese 2) defeated Yass Magpies 4 (Tries: J Hall)

Goulburn Workers Bulldogs 32 (Tries: M Berthelot, N Cornish, T Cornish, M Worboys, D Stephens, P Cooke; Goals: B Hewitt 4) defeated Gungahlin Bulls 24 (Tries: J Elliot, D Keir, S Lomax, N Mead; Goals: D Keir 4)

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a ... w45l5.html

julian87 · Post by **julian87** » May 14, 2017, 8:54 am

Gee it's sad seeing Tyler Cornish's name in these reports. It was only 6 weeks ago he did a really good job in his NRL debut, now he's back home playing 3rd tier rugby league. I know pro sport is a cut throat business but that's hard to see for a bloke that loves an underdog.