2023 Canberra Raiders Jersey Flegg

[The Greenhouse]

68th min TRY RAIDERS to Owen Pattie. The Bulldogs knock on the Henderson kick and it’s easy pickings. Henderson converts.

Raiders 32-10

FULL TIME

[RedRaider]

The Raiders have done their bit to keep their long shot chances alive. Now we need Penrith to beat Storm in their Flegg match and by a big margin.

[greeneyed]

2023 Jersey Flegg Round 26: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm



Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm
Saturday 26 August, 12:30pm
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

Canberra Raiders

1. Regan Carr
2. Kane Rushton
3. Siamani Leuluai
4. Prinston Esera
5. Livai Kaloutolu
6. Owen Pattie
7. Mitch Henderson
8. Mitchell Prest
9. Shaun Packer
10. Tahrell Feaveai
11. Josh Billing
12. Joseph Roddy
13. Jayden Clarkson

14. Toby Thorburn
15. Jaxon Lavender
16. Niu Mariota
17. Tane Kiriona

Melbourne Storm

1. Karauria Stokes-Mahara
2. Maanaima Amosa
3. Coby Williamson
4. Mitchell Jennings
5. Ali Okusitino
6. Stanley Huen
7. Keagan Russell-Smith
8. Jordan Wilson
9. Suliasi Prescott
10. K-Ci Newton-Whare
11. Jayden Weir
12. Angus Hinchey
13. Poasi Manu

14. De'Ontae Perese
15. Jerry Musu
16. Jared Nauma
17. Sheldon Diaz

18. Josiah-Ekkehard Neli
19. Kade Roberts
20. Suli Pole

Last round: The Canberra Raiders produced an impressive 32-10 win over the Canterbury Bulldogs in Jersey Flegg on Saturday afternoon at Kippax. It has been a good second half of the season for the Under 21s team - and they have now won six of their past seven matches. They have fallen short of playing finals football. But having spent much of the season at the foot of the table, they have now moved up to eighth place on the ladder.

The Raiders led 12-6 at half time. Canberra winger Kane Rushton started the scoring in the 15th minute, the try resulting from a good shift to the right on a scrum play. Centre Regan Carr got the try assist, delivering the final pass. The Bulldogs drew level after a try to winger William Afualo in the corner in the 26th minute. But the home team took back the lead just before half time. Second rower Josh Billing spectacularly took the ball out of the air, after a good kick from half Mitch Henderson to the Bulldogs goal line. Four points.



The Bulldogs were on fire early in the second half - with the Raiders forced to produce a couple of try savers. But Roddy bagged a try in the 42nd minute - taking advantage of a Bulldogs error near halfway. A Jayden Clarkson four pointer saw the Raiders push further ahead in the 53rd minute, after Canberra had earned a repeat set. He just charged to the line. The 24-6 lead was extended to 20 points, with just over 10 minutes remaining, thanks to a Mitch Henderson penalty goal.

The Dogs finally got one back in the 64th minute, when benchie Mesake Ravonu crossed from close range. But the Raiders had the final say, with the Bulldogs unable to defuse a bomb to the try line - with hooker Owen Pattie picking up the scraps. In the end, it was five tries to two - and a complete performance from Canberra.

Next round: The Raiders head to Melbourne for a clash with the Storm in the final round of the regular season. The Storm running fifth and will be desperate to win on Saturday, so as to cement a finals place. The Storm beat the Panthers, 24-20, in Melbourne on Sunday. They led 18-10 at half time, but had to overcome a second half comeback from the Panthers. They sealed the win with a converted try to centre Coby Williamson in the 55th minute. But a win is not beyond the Green Machine. They are only four competition points behind the Storm… and Canberra will want to finish strongly themselves.

Team news: Regan Carr has been switched to fullback for the Raiders, with Siamani Leuluai moving to the centres. Shaun Packer and Owen Pattie will also switch. Both hookers, Packer takes the No. 9 jersey this week, while Pattie shifts to five eighth. There are no other changes to the starting line up.

2023 season record: Raiders: 9 and 12 (8th, -84)
Storm: 11 and 10 (5th, -8)
Form: Raiders: WWWLW
Storm: WLLWW
Attack: Raiders 18, Storm 21 points scored per game
Defence: Raiders 22, Storm 22 points conceded per game
Recent meetings: 2023 Round 6 Storm 26 defeated Raiders 8 at Raiders Belconnen
2022 Round 18 Raiders 24 defeated Storm 12 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2022 Round 5 Raiders 40 defeated Storm 30 at Equex Centre, Wagga Wagga
2019 Round 22 Raiders 24 defeated Storm 18 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2019 Round Raiders 21 drew Storm 21 at Canberra Stadium

[The Greenhouse]

Welcome to our coverage of today’s Jersey Flegg clash between the Canberra Raiders and Melbourne Storm at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. This match is not broadcast or live streamed. Kick off is at 12:30pm. We will have score updates in this post, so refresh for the latest.

Here are the final teams:

Canberra Raiders

1. Regan Carr
2. Kane Rushton
3. Siamani Leuluai
4. Prinston Esera
5. Livai Kaloutolu
6. Jaxon Lavender
7. Mitch Henderson
8. Tahrell Feaveai
9. Shaun Packer
10. Mitchell Prest
11. Josh Billing
12. Joseph Roddy
13. Jayden Clarkson

14. Toby Thorburn
15. Loghan Lewis
16. Niu Mariota
17. Tane Kiriona

18. Trent Borthwick

Melbourne Storm

21. Matthew Hill
2. Maanaima Amosa
3. Coby Williamson
4. Mitchell Jennings
5. Ali Okusitino
6. Stanley Huen
7. Keagan Russell-Smith
8. Jordan Wilson
9. Suliasi Prescott
10. K-Ci Newton-Whare
11. Jayden Weir
12. Angus Hinchey
13. Poasi Manu

14. De'Ontae Perese
15. Jerry Musu
16. Jared Nauma
17. Sheldon Diaz

19. Kade Roberts

Canberra Raiders 20

Tries
Mitchell Prest 13'
Siamani Leuluai 17'
Livai Kaloutolu 32'
Kane Rushton 68'

Goals
Mitch Henderson 14'
Mitch Henderson 34'

Melbourne Storm 16

Tries
De'Ontae Perese 45'
Jayden Weir 55'
Mitchell Jennings 60'

Goals
Keagan Russell-Smith 46'
Keagan Russell-Smith 57'

HALF TIME: Canberra Raiders 16 led Melbourne Storm 12
FULL TIME: Canberra Raiders 20 defeated Melbourne Storm 16

[RedRaider]

Good to see Niu Mariota able to be back on the field.

Raiders got out to a 16 nil lead but into the second half it is now 16-12 against the Storm at the 57minute mark.

[RedRaider]

Storm level up at 16 all at the 60 minute mark with the conversion missed. The Raiders cannot make the finals after a poor start to the year, but the team is now competitive with finals bound sides.

[The Greenhouse]

[RedRaider]

Raiders win 20-16. A good finish to the Season for the Raiders. Lots of good young players coming through the ranks. A number of this side will be able to go around again in Flegg in 2024. Eels and Storm level on 30 competition points but Eels will make the top 5 due to better F/A. Roosters, Bulldogs, Sharks and Panthers are the other 4 teams in the finals. The Raiders finished on 28 Competition points.

Only one Raiders loss since Round 18. It was the 11 losses between Rd2 and Rd17 which hurt.

[Bay53]

Ironically our win yesterday allowed the Eels to sneak into the finals and give Ethan Saunders some finals experience.

[Bluesbrother]

Raiders win 20-16. A good finish to the Season for the Raiders. Lots of good young players coming through the ranks. A number of this side will be able to go around again in Flegg in 2024. Eels and Storm level on 30 competition points but Eels will make the top 5 due to better F/A. Roosters, Bulldogs, Sharks and Panthers are the other 4 teams in the finals. The Raiders finished on 28 Competition points.

Only one Raiders loss since Round 18. It was the 11 losses between Rd2 and Rd17 which hurt.

Thanks for the update RedRaider. Who are the top 3-4 blokes coming through here? Some names we should listen out for in the next couple of years?

[greeneyed]

MATCH REPORT: Jersey Flegg Raiders knock Storm out of finals



The Jersey Flegg Canberra Raiders finished their 2023 season with a 20-16 victory over the Storm in Bleak City - knocking Melbourne out of the top five and denying them the chance to play finals football.

The Raiders started strongly with prop Mitchell Prest, centre Siamani Leuluai and winger Livai Kaloutolu all scoring in the first half. Prest scored from a crash ball in the middle, while the backline shone on both edges for the other two. The Raiders took a 16-0 lead to the half time break. But the Storm fought back in the second half. Three straight tries saw the home team draw level, with just under 10 minutes remaining. In an extraordinary conclusion, Raiders winger Kane Rushton delivered the match winner in the final minute of the match. On the last tackle, half Mitch Henderson put in a kick to the corner, and Rushton grounded it in the deepest corner of the in goal area.



It has been a good second half of the season for the Under 21s team. They spent much of the year at the foot of the competition ladder, but after winning seven of their final eight matches, they finished in seventh place - just two competition points adrift of the fifth placed Parramatta Eels.

In the past couple of months, they have beaten two of the top five teams, the Panthers (14-6) and Bulldogs (32-10). The Storm was also sitting in fifth spot heading into the final round of the regular season. The Raiders developed into a team that could compete with the top sides.

After the completion of the SG Ball season, the Raiders fast tracked a number of players into the Flegg squad - and that policy paid off. The Raiders finished as minor premiers in SG Ball this year. While they were knocked out of the competition in their semi final match against the Eels - the team that went on to win the Grand Final - it was undoubtedly a squad brimful of talent.

The spine in that SG Ball semi final included fullback Chevy Stewart, halves Jalen Afamasaga and Keahn Skipps and hooker Owen Pattie. Stewart has moved from junior representatives, to Flegg and NSW Cup in the space of this year. The others made made good contributions in Flegg.

Forwards who have stepped up from that SG Ball team include NSW Under 19s Origin representative Jake Clydsdale - now playing in NSW Cup - Joseph Roddy and Jaxon Lavender.

It's worth remembering the sorts of players who started the year in Flegg, who are now NSW Cup regulars - names like Ethan Strange, Brad Morkos and Michael Asomua.

All that highlights how quickly some players develop. How much turnover there can be due to things like injuries. Coach Ash Barnes has done a great job in building a competitive Flegg team, in amongst all the change.

A number of players from the 2021 SG Ball squad - which won the premiership - like Toby Thorburn and Jayden Clarkson have helped lead the way. There are some other players to also keep and eye out for, like outside backs Regan Carr and Prinston Esera; mid season halfback recruit from Newcastle, Mitch Henderson; and a couple of the forwards I've already mentioned, Joseph Roddy and Jaxon Lavender.

Given the 2023 Harold Matthews team also made the finals, there will be plenty of talented players on the way up next season.

AT A GLANCE: Jersey Flegg Round 26 - Canberra Raiders 20 (Mitchell Prest, Siamani Leuluai, Livai Kaloutolu, Kane Rushton tries, Mitch Henderson 2 goals) defeated Melbourne Storm 16 (De'Ontae Perese, Jayden Weir, Mitchell Jennings tries, Keagan Russell-Smith 2 goals) at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

[Bay53]

Gee I will have some Ethan Saunders please based on those highlights (no 7 for Parra - highlights before our game).

He is in the right spot every time.

[greeneyed]

Looks like Noah Saddler has had some sort of knee reconstruction today (left knee), based on his Instagram Stories. Bad luck, he’s a good prospect. The Raiders seem to be having a huge number of serious knee injuries…

Made a comeback with the Bushrangers not long ago, now a knee reconstruction on his right knee. That’s going to be tough to come back from.

[greeneyed]

The Bulldogs are the Jersey Flegg premiers for 2023.

2023 Jersey Flegg Cup Grand Final

FULL TIME

Canterbury Bulldogs 22
Sydney Roosters 20

MATCH REPLAY: https://www.facebook.com/NSWRL/videos/988324615702962/