Dragons v Raiders: Liddle set to return; Whitehead faces ban
It's a close of so near and yet so far for the Dragons and Raiders in 2024, with the winner of this game finishing out of the top eight on points differential only.
The Dragons have let their opportunity to play finals slip away with losses to the Sharks and Eels in back-to-back matches while the Raiders showed plenty of ticker to take down the Roosters on Sunday but will still come up just short.
The only scenario that would allow the winner of this clash to sneak into eighth spot is if the Knights and Dolphins play out a draw on Sunday and both finish on 29 points, one behind the Raiders or Dragons.
The first part of the equation is to get the two points at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium and the Raiders will have to do it without Elliott Whitehead (suspended) and Jordan Rapana (cheekbone) if they are to salute.
The Dragons, meanwhile. have only Jacob Liddle to come back and bolster their stocks after he missed Eels game for personal reasons.
When the dust settles the Dragons will reflect with pride on their climb from 16th in 2023 to get within a whisker of the top eight and the fact they downed the Panthers, Storm and Sea Eagles across the course of the season.
Match: Dragons v Raiders
Round 27 -
home Team
Dragons
10th Position
away Team
Raiders
11th Position
Venue: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Stat Attack
- The Dragons have won only two of their past nine games against the Raiders.
- The Raiders have not defeated the Dragons at Kogarah since 2004.
- Dragons winger Zac Lomax has scored four tries in four games at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium this
season. - Raiders winger Xavier Savage has scored six tries in his past seven games.
- The Dragons have conceded 82 points in back-to-back losses to the Sharks and Eels.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
