Presented by TAB. Nine
The Raiders caught everyone off guard with their surprise victory over the Broncos in round two, and Andrew Johns believes we could witness a repeat when Ricky Stuart’s team takes on the Sharks this Thursday evening.
Despite being labelled as $2.32 outsiders after facing two consecutive defeats, the Eighth Immortal is placing his faith in the Raiders to maintain their home-ground advantage in just their second game of the season at Canberra.
“Ricky’s ambush,” Johns remarked on Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and the Eighth’s Tips.
“Remember three weeks ago, the Raiders took down Brisbane 32-22. It was an impressive performance. This match will mirror that.”
Ricky Stuart, coach of the Raiders, is adept at executing tactical ambushes. Getty
Johns expressed his admiration for the Raiders’ forward pack, noting that they had been fortunate to have key players Josh Papalii and Corey Horsburgh available following their charges after Canberra’s match against the Cowboys, as both have evaded suspension. Joseph Tapine, who was also placed on report during that game for a ‘chicken wing’ tackle, managed to avoid any charges.
“They’ve had a stroke of luck with the judiciary, with Papalii, Tapine, and Horsburgh all getting off without penalties,” he mentioned.”
On the other hand, the Sharks are struggling with injuries, missing the likes of Kayal Iro, Siosifa Talakai, and Teig Wilton, which weakens their squad ahead of the trip to the capital.
“I’m backing an upset here; I really fancy the Raiders at home,” Johns added.
He wasn’t alone in his thinking, as Nine’s panel of experts almost split their predictions evenly for the Thursday night clash.
With mounting scrutiny directed at Sharks playmaker Nicho Hynes, to the extent that the club’s chairman, Steve Mace, labelled it “un-Australian,” Johns further commented in his column for The Sydney Morning Herald that it is time for the $1 million-a-season halfback to step up and deliver.
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“He performs best on the right side where he can engage with Jesse Ramien one-on-one. For me, it’s all about getting Braydon Trindall back on the ball, similar to last year, while avoiding overloading or confusing Nicho with too much responsibility,” Johns suggested.
“I mentioned on The Sunday Footy Show that rebuilding Nicho into the Dally M Medal-winning halfback from three years ago is a complex task. These right-side plays are key for getting him in a comfortable position where he excels as a second-receiver.”
“However, as for restoring his confidence, it’s a significant challenge for Fitzgibbon and it won’t happen overnight,” he added.
Scroll down for the latest leaderboard and Round 5 predictions from all of Nine’s expert tipsters!
Nine’s NRL tipping leaderboard. Nine
Andrew Johns: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Eels, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Knights
Brad Fittler: Raiders, Panthers, Roosters, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs,
Ruan Sims: Sharks, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Darren Lockyer: Sharks, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Dolphins, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Danika Mason: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Mat Thompson: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Michael Chammas: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs
Peter Psaltis: Sharks, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
David Middleton: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Eels, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs
The Mole: Sharks, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Storm, Bulldogs
Ben Glover: Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Titans, Broncos, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs
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