Canberra Raiders Cup 2022: Round 11 Preview

The Blumers Lawyers Canberra Raiders Cup returns this weekend, headlined by a blockbuster top four clash between the Tuggeranong Bushrangers and Queanbeyan Blues on Saturday afternoon.

Tuggeranong Bushrangers v Queanbeyan Blues, Greenway Oval, 3pm Saturday 2nd July

The Bushrangers will play host to the Queanbeyan Blues this Saturday in what could be one of the games of the season.

The Blues haven't looked back from their slow start to the year, winning their last six games after defeating fellow top four side Woden 26-16 last weekend.

Although Tuggeranong's five match win streak was broken last weekend, falling to a shock 27-18 loss to the Queanbeyan Kangaroos.

The Bushies will be out for revenge come Saturday afternoon, after going down to the Blues by 12 points back in round two this season.

Star Tuggeranong forward Darby Medlyn believes they need to tighten up their defence heading into this weekend's game.

"We haven't been at our best for the past few weeks. We need to fix a few things up with our defence but we're all really confident going into the weekend," Medlyn said.

Medlyn is confident the home crowd at Greenway Oval can get them over the line this weekend, with the club celebrating their sponsors day and Indigenous round.

"It's always good playing there in-front of some passionate supporters. [We know] we've got a job to do and the supporters turn up for us each week," Medlyn added.

Queanbeyan Blues dummy-half Josh Mitchell touched on the form of his side and how important the task is at hand.

"The Bushies have been the benchmark of the comp at the moment. Testing ourselves against these teams that haven't had many losses is a good challenge," Mitchell said.

This important clash could go a long way in cementing their positions in the top four ahead of finals footy in September.

Gungahlin Bulls v Goulburn City Bulldogs, Gungahlin Enclosed Oval, 3pm Saturday 2nd July

The Gungahlin Bulls may be down to their last chance to make a late push for a finals spot, after falling to their sixth straight loss last weekend to West Belconnen.

The Bulls will return home and face a Goulburn side with similar struggles, who too have lost five of their last six matches.

Fortunately for Goulburn, their strong start to the season has paid off as they still currently sit inside the top five. 

However, on their tail sits the Belconnen United Sharks and Queanbeyan Roos who are both keen to leapfrog them this weekend, pending the result of this match.

This clash shapes up to be a huge game for both sides, as the top four continue to the push away from the pack, the fifth finals spot is well and truly up for grabs.

Woden Valley Rams v Yass Magpies, Phillip Oval, 3pm Saturday 2nd July

The Rams will look to return to their winning ways when they head back to their home of Phillip Oval to take on the Magpies this Saturday.

The Rams went down 26-16 to the high-flying Queanbeyan Blues last weekend, but can take some well-earnt lessons after being one of the only teams to beat the Blues all year.

They will look to bounce-back against a refreshed Yass outfit who search for answers to break a five-game losing streak.

Yass' start to matches has been what's hurt them, conceding far too many early points and giving their opposition a head-start.

The Magpies will want to come out of the gates firing and make an early statement if they're a chance of upsetting the top four Woden side.

Queanbeyan Kangaroos v Belconnen United Sharks, Seears Workwear Oval, 3pm Saturday 2nd July

The Kangaroos will play host to the Sharks in a potential season-defining match for both sides, as they both sit outside the top five on the competition ladder.

The Roos will play their third consecutive home game this weekend after causing the upset of the season over the Tuggeranong Bushrangers, who sat in first place before going down 27-18 in round ten.

The inclusion of Raider #296 Sam Williams had an immediate impact on the struggling Roos side, as they look to make a push for finals.

The Belconnen United Sharks stand in their way after wracking up a huge 54-10 win over Goulburn last weekend, scoring their first back to back win of 2022.

The Sharks had a flux of their Jersey Flegg Cup Raiders players line up in blue last week for the first time, after their competition had the bye with the representative round.

The boost of those two convincing wins will add confidence to the Belconnen squad as they set their eyes on a finals birth.