TWL Rd 2 Preview: Warriors confident as streaky Raiders come to town

First-up winners and keen rivals square off in a Friday night barnburner.

WARRIORS V CANBERRA RAIDERS – 8.00PM (NZT)/6.00PM (AEDT) FRIDAY, MARCH 13 @ GO MEDIA MOUNT SMART STADIUM

The Storylines: Round 1 victors the Warriors and Canberra Raiders come together for something of a burgeoning grudge match.

The Warriors pumped the hotshot Sydney Roosters 42-18 last Friday, with Tanah Boyd, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jackson Ford, James Fisher-Harris and Kurt Capewell leading a superb team effort.

The Raiders won a Brookvale rollercoaster, clawing back from 14-0 down then letting a 28-14 slip as Manly forced them into golden point. New halfback Ethan Sanders – in just his fifth NRL game – capped a highly encouraging performance by burying the long-range field goal match-winner.

It was an important result for the Green Machine after their jarring straight-sets exit from the playoffs last year.

The Raiders had the wood on the Warriors in 2025 on their way to the minor premiership, backing up a 30-8 Las Vegas beatdown with a grinding, fiery 16-10 victory in Auckland in Round 12.

Joe Tapine and a crowd-baiting Savelio Tamale were at the forefront of an ill-tempered contest.

Meanwhile, Tuivasa-Sheck becomes just the 13th Warrior to reach the 150-game mark in first grade.