NRL Match Preview: Raiders v Cowboys

The Raiders will be hoping to get back to their winning ways this week as they embark on one of the longest road trips in the NRL to face the Cowboys at 1300SMILES Stadium on Saturday night.

The Raiders' two-game winning streak came to an end last week when they were beaten 42-22 by the Rabbitohs.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys' 26-14 win over the Titans last week ended their five-game losing streak.

The only change for the Raiders sees Josh Papalii return to the starting line-up at the expense of Luke Bateman.

Raiders junior, Shaun Fensom, makes his return for the Cowboys this week.

He replaces the injured John Asiata in his first game back since breaking his leg in the 2017 grand final.

Last Time: The Cowboys came out on top when these sides met in round 17 last year at GIO Stadium, beating the Raiders 31-18.

Canberra trailed 13-12 with 25 minutes left but from there North Queensland were just too good and crossed for three more tries.

Key Matchups:

Josh Papalii vs Jason Taumalolo

Papalii's return to the starting line-up ensures a blockbuster contest at lock.

Papalii and Taumalolo are two of the most destructive ball runners in the game and when they come up against each other it is always a great match-up.

The two have faced off for Australia and New Zealand in the past before both switching allegiances and representing their ancestral homes of Samoa and Tonga at the World Cup.

After both made a relatively slow start to the season, they are just starting to hit their straps which only adds to the anticipation for the clash we will see on Saturday night.

Siliva Havili vs Jake Granville

Siliva Havili entered the season with arguably the toughest job at the Raiders, filling the hole left by the injured Josh Hodgson.

He has done well so far, with his performances getting better as his fitness improved.

It is no coincidence that he played big minutes and had arguably his two best performances in the Raiders' two wins.

Jake Granville has equally been a key component in the Cowboys' wins.

He is at times an underrated member of the Cowboys spine that has torn apart so many opposition defences in recent seasons.

Both players will be looking to make an impact for their team this weekend.

Jordan Rapana vs Kyle Feldt

It is not uncommon for a matchup between wingers to be between two prolific try scorers.

What is special about this matchup is that it is between two of the most acrobatic try scorers in the NRL.

Jordan Rapana and Kyle Feldt have made names for themselves for their incredible one-handed put downs and both have featured on plenty of highlight reels.

Rapana has been a bit quiet on the try-scoring front this year, crossing the stripe just twice so far, while Feldt has scored six tries in the opening seven rounds.

Rapana does have three try assists to his name however, while Feldt has none.

Quote of the week:

Head to Head:

Things have been pretty even between these two historically, with the Raiders winning 21 of the matchups and the Cowboys winning 18.

The Cowboys have won four of the last five meetings though.