The Raiders NRLW side will be facing off against the Wests Tigers this Sunday afternoon at GIO Stadium Canberra.
The Raiders will be looking to carry over their good form in game one of this weekend’s double-header.
The Raiders won their first ever NRLW game with an upset 24 – 14 victory over the Sydney Roosters in front of their home crowd last weekend.
Raiders’ co-captain Simaima Taufa was a standout player, accumulating 42 tackles and crossing over for a try.
Fellow forward Grace Kemp crossed over for her first NRLW try, as did centre Cheyelle Robins-Reti.
Canberra will be taking on the Tigers who have won both their matches this season, including a 10 – 0 win over the Cronulla Sharks last round.
Tigers’ winger Jakiya Whitfeld has scored three tries during the Tigers’ first two matches.
Both coaches have named an unchanged 17 for this round’s matchup.
The Tigers currently sit first on the ladder, but only one win is the difference between them and the eighth-placed Raiders.
This will be the first time these two inaugural squads meet.
Key Match-ups
Apii Nicholls v Botille Vette-Walsh
This match-up will be a must watch this weekend as two representative fullbacks go head-to-head.
Apii Nicholls, a New Zealand international, has been a fundamental part of the Raiders’ offence so far this year.
Already this season Nicholls has recorded two try assists and two tackle breaks to go along with her average of 98 running metres.
Botille Vette-Welsh has been proving her reputation as one of the best fullbacks in the NRLW this season.
The Australian representative has tallied four try assists and seven tackle breaks to start the season, while not missing a tackle.
This will be a thrilling match up to witness as both players will be looking to be the difference-maker.
Monalisa Soliola v Kezie Apps
This weekend’s battle will be a bitter-sweet reunion for the two former Dragons as the two forwards take on each other for the first time.
Soliola is coming off a breakout 2022 campaign and has not looked like slowing down since moving to the capital.
So far this season Soliola has been performing on both sides of the ball with a tackle efficiency of 96.5% along with a match-sealing try at the end of last week’s match.
Kezie Apps is one of the game’s most decorated players having captained both her country and her state. The former Dally M Female Player of the Year will be tough to slow down.
Apps is averaging 104 running metres per match along with recording seven tackle breaks this season.
This will be a hard-hitting match-up between the two former teammates this round.
Sophie Holyman v Sarah Togatuki
These two Origin rivals will be going head-to-head this weekend with no love lost between the two.
Since swapping-codes, Holyman has been a standout prop in the NRLW, representing Queensland earlier this year.
Holyman has been close to perfect in defence having a 98% tackle efficiency this year, along with six tackle breaks and 44 post-contact metres.
Sarah Togatuki is a powerful forward and was a marquee signing for the inaugural Tigers’ squad.
Togatuki has started the season in great form amassing 417 run metres in just two games, in addition to three offloads and 42 tackles.
Both players will be looking to run through their opponents and will be hard to stop.
