The Roosters dug deep to come away from Newcastle with two valuable competition points and return to familiar territory at Allianz Stadium with renewed confidence.
Their attack still needs some fine-tuning but coach Trent Robinson is sure to have taken great heart from the defensive resolve shown when the Knights came at them late in the game.
With Joey Manu (29 runs for 318m) and Daniel Tupou (23 runs for 287m) carrying the ball strong and Jake Turpin (53 tackles), Nat Butcher (45) and Egan Butcher (45) working the house down in defence, the Roosters overcame the absence of James Tedesco and Lindsay Collins to register a morale boosting win.
The Raiders need to regroup after a deflating loss to the Warriors in Jarrod Croker's 300th game but they remain in seventh position and face six teams currently below them on the ladder in their final 10 games.
The sides have clashed 43 times in the NRL era with the Roosters winning 28, including the 2019 grand final, and the Raiders getting the money 15 times.
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Team News
Roosters: A change on game day sees Sitili Tupouniua drop out after sustaining a badly corked thigh last week. He's replaced by Angus Crichton at second row while Terrell May comes onto the bench. A change on Saturday saw Nat Butcher drop off the bench after suffering an ankle during the week, his place taken by Drew Hutchison. Five-eighth Luke Keary will play after being cleared of a jaw fracture. After starring at fullback in Round 16, Joey Manu shifts back to centre to accommodate the return of James Tedesco, with Corey Allan the man to drop out. Victor Radley is back from suspension at lock, while Lindsay Collins will back up from Queensland duty.
Raiders: No late changes on game day. After a weekend off with the bye, Ricky Stuart has named the same 17 who appeared in Canberra's last game against the Warriors in Round 15. Back-rower Hudson Young is a confirmed starter after Stuart gave the green light on Friday that he would be right to play.
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Stat Attack
- The Roosters have won four from five at Allianz Stadium this season.
- The Raiders have won only three of their past 20 games against the Roosters in Sydney.
- The Roosters have the worst attacking record in the competition.
- The Raiders have conceded 30 points or more four times in their past seven games.
- Roosters winger Daniel Tupou needs two tries to equal Anthony Minichiello’s club record of 139 tries.
- The Roosters and Raiders are ranked 15th and 16th for try assists in 2023 with 31 apiece. The Rabbitohs lead the NRL with 62 try assists.
- The Raiders have won four of seven away games in 2023, beating the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium, Tigers at Campbelltown and Bulldogs at Suncorp in Magic Round.
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Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.