Canberra Raiders Cup 2022: Round 7 Preview

The Blumers Lawyers Canberra Raiders Cup competition returns for round seven this Saturday, with a crucial clash between the Gungahlin Bulls and Queanbeyan Kangaroos headlining an action-packed weekend of rugby league.

Gungahlin Bulls v Queanbeyan Kangaroos, Gungahlin Enclosed Oval 3pm Saturday 28th May

This weekend’s match of the round will see the Gungahlin Bulls come up against the Queanbeyan Kangaroos, with the first-grade game capping off Gungahlin’s own indigenous round.

Having not played since their two-point loss to Belconnen United in round five, Gungahlin will be refreshed heading into a must win clash as they look to kickstart a push to the finals after last year’s minor premiership.

Gungahlin backrower Lucas Thomson believes that the team need to perfect the basics if they want to play the expansive football which saw them dominate last season.

“Most of the time we have been shooting ourselves in the foot,” Thomson said.

“We just need to go back to the basics and earn the right to play that expansive brand of footy. If we do those one-percenters right, we should be looking to build, and it starts this weekend.”

Fresh off their first win of the season, the Queanbeyan Kangaroos will be keen to make it two in a row, looking to back up their hard-fought victory against the Yass Magpies.

Sitting in last place with just one win, if the Roos want to make a run to the finals they will need to keep their momentum going against the slow starting Bulls.

For Queanbeyan centre Rob Sheffield, the most important thing was getting that first victory, with the side breaking their maiden win last weekend against Yass.

“All of the boys took a lot out of confidence out of that win. We really grinded it out, it was a tough 80 minutes,” he said.

“It was always going to be a hard one getting that first win, but now that we got it, we are ready to go this weekend.”

Yass Magpies V West Belconnen Warriors, Walker Oval 3pm Saturday 28th May

Fresh off a thrilling draw against Tuggeranong Bushrangers last weekend, the West Belconnen Warriors will be looking to continue their undefeated start to the season when they travel away to play the Yass Magpies.

Despite securing a draw, the Warriors were up 20-0 at half time, going down 26-6 in the second period. They will be looking for an 80-minute performance this weekend, with their star halfback Robert Roberts likely to pull the strings for the away side.

It will be West Belconnen’s first trip away from Canberra this season, adding another challenge to the fixture for the team sitting in second place.

Yass on the other hand will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Queanbeyan Kangaroos last weekend. They will be keen to force an upset victory to avoid a battle for last place.

A return home could prove to be the best thing for the Magpies who are on a two-game losing streak following their win over the Gungahlin Bulls in round four.

The Magpies must be at their best defensively, coming up against a high-flying Warriors side who currently sit second in attack for the season.

Woden Valley Rams V Belconnen United Sharks, Phillip Oval 3pm Saturday 28th May

After an impressive 80-minute performance against the Goulburn City Bulldogs last weekend, Woden Valley will be looking to cement their spot in the top four this Saturday against the Belconnen United Sharks.

After travelling to Goulburn, the Rams were simply too good for the home side and will be hoping that their halves partnership of Jesse Taws and Daniel Desmet will be able to continue their good form this weekend.

Despite sitting in third place in the league over the first six weeks, the Rams have only won once in their three games at Phillip Oval this season, with a crucial win in front of the home fans likely to be high on Woden Valley’s wish list.

The Belconnen United Sharks stand in their way, who despite challenging the Queanbeyan Blues at different stages last Saturday, will be wanting to put their second half 26-6 loss out of their minds this weekend.

Against a consistent Woden Valley side, the Sharks will not be able to drop off at any stage, needing to compete at both ends if they want to find their third victory of the season.

They will be keen to make some progress in their hunt for a finals spot, with a win likely to put them within touching distance of the top teams in this extremely tight competition.

Queanbeyan Blues vs Goulburn City Bulldogs, Seiffert Oval 3pm Saturday 28th May

After a slow start to the season, it appears that the Queanbeyan Blues of old are back this year, with the side looking to leapfrog Goulburn into the top four when they come up against them at home this Saturday.

Despite a close first half against the Sharks last weekend, the Blues proved to simply be too good, playing behind a firing attack which has scored over 100 points in their last two games.

Undefeated at home this season, the Blues will be looking to keep that record intact in front of their ever-vocal home fans.

The Bulldogs will instead be looking to overturn their recent slump, losing two matches in a row after winning the first three.

Whilst they have not won since round three, Goulburn have hardly been out of form, losing close games to two of the teams narrowly above them on the ladder.

In a match that pits two of the top sides, this match could prove to be a classic, with a win for either team likely to cement a top four position on the ladder.