Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 16 Preview

The Blumers Lawyers Canberra Raiders Cup heads into round 16 this weekend, with teams pushing for their best standings as finals footy approaches.

Goulburn City Bulldogs vs Gungahlin Bulls, 3:00pm, Saturday at Workers Arena

The Goulburn City Bulldogs will return home this weekend as they go head-to-head with the Gungahlin Bulls at Workers Arena. 

Following a bye last round, seventh-placed Goulburn will be fresh and ready to take on Gungahlin.

The last time they faced the Bulls, Goulburn established a strong lead, but Gungahlin nearly mounted a remarkable comeback.

"There's been a lot of focus on really making them work for whatever they want out of the game, rather than giving them that easy ball," Goulburn captain Tyson Greenwood said. 

"This week our focus is to really put the knife to it, making them work for it, and hopefully come away with a strong win." 

On the other hand, the Bulls will be looking to make amends after coming off a heavy 46-14 loss to the Queanbeyan Blues.

"We've just got to stay in it with them [Goulburn], we've got to play the full 80 minutes and keep up with them the entire game," Bulls centre Zac Dickason said. 

"These last two games we've got to stick with it, and the boys got to turn up, that'll come into next year with a positive energy." 

Currently finding themselves last on the ladder, the Bulls will aim to finish their season on a positive note, while Goulburn will look to impress a home crowd. 

Queanbeyan Kangaroos vs Tuggeranong Bushrangers, 3:00pm, Saturday at Seears Workwear Oval

The Queanbeyan Kangaroos will be playing host to the Tuggeranong Bushrangers this Saturday at Seears Workwear Oval.

Fresh off a commanding 38-20 win over the Belconnen United Sharks, the third-placed Kangaroos will be looking to build on their impressive form as they push for a top-two finish.

The fifth-placed Tuggeranong Bushrangers will also aim to carry over their winning momentum, coming off a nail-biting 36-32 victory against the Yass Magpies.

Last week’s wins saw standout performances from Queanbeyan’s Lachlan Bristow and Tuggeranong’s Joshua Eppelstun both crossing for a double.

The last time these teams met in round 7, the Bushrangers claimed a 16-14 victory in what was a thrilling matchup. 

Yass Magpies vs Belconnen United Sharks, 3:00pm, Saturday at Walker Park

The Belconnen United Sharks will be travelling to Walker Park this weekend, as they prepare to face the Yass Magpies.

Despite the narrow 4 point loss to the Bushrangers last weekend, the Magpies have shown their ability to compete. With five different players finding the try line, they demonstrated a well-rounded team effort.

On the other hand, the Sharks will be looking to bounce back after a 38-20 defeat to the Kangaroos last weekend.

Although the Magpies are out of finals contention, there’s no doubt they will be looking to finish their season strongly, while the Sharks look to regain confidence before finals.

Queanbeyan Blues vs West Belconnen Warriors, 3:15pm, Saturday at Seiffert Oval

The West Belconnen Warriors will travel to Seiffert Oval this Saturday to face the Queanbeyan Blues at home.

After a dominant 46-14 win over the Gungahlin Bulls last Saturday, the Blues are riding high in confidence as they find themselves at the top of the ladder.

With fullback Josh Pokoney and halfback Dylan McLachlan each scoring doubles, the Blues are in fine form and will be looking to stay consistent as they edge closer to securing the minor premiership.

The West Belconnen Warriors, on the other hand, are looking to recover from a tough 36-10 loss to the Woden Valley Rams.

Despite four consecutive losses, there’s no doubt the Warriors have the potential to cause an upset against the ladder leaders.

Woden Valley Rams vs Bye