Sea Eagles v Raiders preview: Garrick fills Turbo's shoes; Savage steps up
The Raiders couldn't have picked a better time to play the red-hot Sea Eagles than a game where Origin players Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans are absent on state duties.
Canberra must arrest their slide down the ladder and facing an opposition team without its biggest stars might help.
Their season losses reached double figures last week (10) off the back of a humiliating 44-6 defeat to the Titans at GIO Stadium. They were even booed off the field.
Ricky Stuart's men now sit in 13th spot, down on confidence as well as form, having won just one of their past five games.
In contrast Des Hasler's Manly side are sitting comfortably inside the eight in fifth spot, after winning their past three matches by 50 points or more.
Match: Sea Eagles v Raiders
Round 17 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
6th Position
away Team
Raiders
11th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
The rundown
Team news
Sea Eagles: A late switch an hour before kick-off with Jack Gosiewski joining the bench in his first game back from a foot injury suffered in round five. Ben Trbojevic goes back to 18th man and Tevita Funa is the last man cut.
Reuben Garrick will again fill in at fullback for Tom Trbojevic (Origin duty) and Moses Suli is the new winger.
Dylan Walker has been promoted to the starting side at halfback with Daly Cherry-Evans on Maroons duty. Cade Cust is the new face on the bench.
Jorge Taufua and Tolutau Koula were the first two player omitted from the squad 24 hours before kick-off.
Reuben Garrick, with 76 points, has outscored 11 NRL teams since Round 14.
Raiders: The Raiders are 1-17 with no late changes.
Xavier Savage is the new fullback in place of Bailey Simonsson (toe) while Matt Frawley gets the nod at No.6 with Jack Wighton on Blues duty.
Emre Guler moves from the bench to starting prop for Josh Papalii and Ryan James comes in on the bench.
Hudson Young has earned a recall to replace the injured Elliott Whitehead (facial cut and shoulder).
Brad Schneider and Harry Rushton were the first two players cut 24 hours before kick-off. Trey Mooney was the last man cut an hour before kick-off and Matt Timoko is the 18th man.
The Raiders have not won at 4 Pines Park since 2016.
Match: Sea Eagles v Raiders
Round 17 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
away Team
Raiders
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Reuben GarrickFullback for Raiders is number 1 Xavier Savage
-
Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason SaabWinger for Raiders is number 2 Semi Valemei
-
Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Brad ParkerCentre for Raiders is number 3 Jarrod Croker
-
Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Morgan HarperCentre for Raiders is number 4 Sebastian Kris
-
Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Moses SuliWinger for Raiders is number 5 Jordan Rapana
-
Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Kieran ForanFive-Eighth for Raiders is number 6 Matt Frawley
-
Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Dylan WalkerHalfback for Raiders is number 7 Sam Williams
Forwards
-
Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela PasekaProp for Raiders is number 8 Emre Guler
-
Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan CrokerHooker for Raiders is number 9 Josh Hodgson
-
Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Martin TaupauProp for Raiders is number 10 Dunamis Lui
-
2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu2nd Row for Raiders is number 11 Corey Harawira-Naera
-
2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Karl Lawton2nd Row for Raiders is number 12 Hudson Young
-
Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Sean KeppieLock for Raiders is number 13 Ryan Sutton
Interchange
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Cade CustInterchange for Raiders is number 14 Tom Starling
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Kurt De LuisInterchange for Raiders is number 15 Ryan James
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Toafofoa SipleyInterchange for Raiders is number 16 Iosia Soliola
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 18 Jack GosiewskiInterchange for Raiders is number 17 Joseph Tapine
Reserves
-
Reserve for Sea Eagles is number 15 Ben TrbojevicReserve for Raiders is number 18 Matthew Timoko
Match Officials
- Referee: Adam Gee
- Touch Judge: Peter Gough
- Touch Judge: Dave Munro
- Senior Review Official: Henry Perenara
Last updated:
Key match-up
Lachlan Croker v Josh Hodgson: Manly's Croker only played one season of NRL with Canberra (2016) and only one game in that year due to tearing his ACL. He came to the Sea Eagles in 2018 to play five-eighth but has played all of 2021 at hooker and now faces one of the Raiders' best No.9s in Hodgson.
Both men are great ball distributors and usually top the tackle count. But Croker is averaging 105 touches per game, compared with Hodgson's 92.
Stat attack
Reuben Garrick's 30-point haul last week (two tries, 11 conversions) has rocketed him to the top of the NRL point-scorers' list, leapfrogging Mitch Moses, Adam Reynolds and Nathan Cleary.
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