Canberra Raiders V Wests TigersSaturday June 2nd 2012, 5:30pm AEST @ Canberra Stadium, Bruce A.C.T.
Broadcast Details:Radio: ABC Grandstand/2GB (check local guides)
TV - NYC: LIVE on Fox Sports 2 @ 3:00pm AEST
TV - NRL: LIVE on Fox Sports 2 @ 5:30pm AEST
Live Updates:Available here on
RNATickets:Ticketek - Raiders V TigersTeams:RAIDERS1. Reece ROBINSON
2. Dimitri PELO
3. Jarrod CROKER
4. Blake FERGUSON
5. Edrick LEE
6. Josh DUGAN
7. Josh McCRONE
8. David SHILLINGTON ©
9. Travis WADDELL
10. Tom LEAROYD-LAHRS
11. Josh PAPALII
12. Joel THOMPSON
13. Shaun FENSOM
Interchange
14. Shaun BERRIGAN
15. Joe PICKER
18. Sam MATAORA
17. Dane TILSE
Coach: David FURNER
TIGERS1. Tim MOLTZEN
2. Matt UTAI
3. Beau RYAN
4. Chris LAWRENCE
5. Lote TUQIRI
14. Curtis SIRONEN
7. Benji MARSHALL
8. Aaron WOODS
9. Robbie FARAH (c)
10. Keith GALLOWAY
11. Adam BLAIR
12. Liam FULTON
13. Chris HEIGHINGTON
Bench:
15. Ben MURDOCH-MASILA
16. Matthew BELL
18. Joel REDDY
19. Masda IOSEFA
Coach: Tim Sheens
Top News:Dugan to square off with BenjiCanberra star Josh Dugan will spark the Raiders from five-eighth against the Wests Tigers on Saturday in his return from a one-week ban.
Dugan usually plays at full-back but will pull on the number six jumper against Tim Sheens' side in a move he says is "a long time coming".
"I trained there a fair bit in the preseason as a back-up for Campo [skipper Terry Campese]," he said.
"When Campo got injured again against the Broncos earlier in the year I thought I'd be a good chance at having a crack at it.
"It wasn't to be and I think it's about getting those couple of games under my belt before I got put in that spot.
"But I'm excited for the challenge and I'm looking forward to it. I'm not too sure about it yet but I'll see how we go on the weekend and then go from there."
It will be a baptism of fire for Dugan as he comes up against the game's premier playmaker in Tigers pivot Benji Marshall.
"I have to be on my game 100 per cent," he admitted.
"I think they'll be testing out the defence a bit and hopefully we can withstand it.
"The Tigers boys are on a roll, they've won five in a row, so they'll be coming down here looking to do what they did to us last year [a 49-12 thumping in round eight]."
Coach David Furner said Dugan will not be a fish out of water with the number six on his back.
"[Defensive ability is] one of the reasons. I think Josh can handle that role in a combination with Josh McCrone," he said.
"He has played in that position there as a junior."
Regular winger Blake Ferguson also returns from a booze-related ban and will slot into the Canberra centres alongside utility Joel Thompson.
"I think Joely Thompson's best position is in the back row," Furner said.
"He filled in a position in last week there in the centres with Jack Wighton still out injured and we don't know the extent of it how long ... Fergo has played in the centres before and done a very good job."
Reece Robinson will start at number one again while young half-back Sam Williams returns to NSW Cup duties.
Do the crime, do the timeDugan and Ferguson will return to action in round 13 after missing the Raiders' 36-18 loss to South Sydney on Friday night after being stood down for breaching the club's alcohol policy.
But there was no doubt in Dugan's mind that he had served his time in Furner's eyes.
"I think that he wouldn't [play Dugan at six] if he didn't think I could handle it," he said.
"But that's a big boost for me, knowing he has that faith in me.
"We trained well today and hopefully we can keep that up all week and take it into the game."
The Canberra-born 22-year-old, who has one New South Wales Origin start and an NRL All Stars player of the match award to his name, said missing the Raiders' loss to Souths was painful.
"Last week me and Fergo did our own training while the boys were up there ... [it was] kind of heartbreaking to watch the boys lose like that and know that you can't be there helping them," he said.
"We've done our punishment and paid our dues and we're just looking to move forward and get off to a good start this week and make it up to the fans and our team-mates."
Meanwhile Manly will be boosted by the return of star half-back Kieran Foran for the defending premiers' showdown with St George Illawarra.
Foran rolled his ankle in the Sea Eagles' win over the Roosters in round 11 and missed last weekend's loss to the Panthers.
But Geoff Toovey's side will not have star centre Steve Matai, who accepted a two-match ban for a grade four dangerous contact charge.
Parramatta will fill the void left by Casey McGuire, who is out for the year with a torn pectoral muscle, with Ben Roberts who earned the call-up from reserve grade.
The Knights have dropped Matt Hilder and Zeb Taia for coach Wayne Bennett's return to Brisbane on Sunday afternoon in an effort to stem Newcastle's three-match losing skid.
Source: ABC