The Stats Zone
March 2 2023, 13:53 · Ash Wheldon

North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders – Regular Season – Preview & Prediction | NRL 2023

North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders – Regular Season – Preview & Prediction | NRL 2023
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THE FACTS

When is North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders on and what time does it start? North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders will take place on Saturday 4th March, 2022 – 06:30 (UK)

Where is North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders taking place? North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders will take place at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, Australia

Where can I get tickets for North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders? Click here for ticket information on 2023 NRL matches

What channel is North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here

Where can I stream North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL

THE TEAM NEWS

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS

  • North Queensland Cowboys were perhaps the surprise package of the 2022 season as they turned into Premiership contenders but they could not produce when it mattered.
  • They were edged by Parramatta Eels for a spot in the Grand Final and will be eager to go at least one better here with what appears to be a settled side that is very similar to last year.

Starting 13: Drinkwater, Feldt, Holmes, Hiku, Taulagi, Dearden, Townsend, McLean, Robson, Cotter, Hess, Nanai, Taumalolo – Interchanges: Granville, Neame, Taunoa-Brown, Tamou – Reserves: Elliot, Price, Chester, Shibasaki, Finefeuiaki

Unavailable: Luciano Leilua (Stood down), Mitchell Dunn (Injured), Ben Hampton (Injured), Heilum Luki (Injured)

CANBERRA RAIDERS

  • Canberra Raiders managed to sneak into the top eight last season and caused an almighty upset as they stunned Melbourne Storm in the first week of the finals but that proved to be the end of the road for them.
  • Parramatta Eels subsequently handed them a hammering in the following week with head coach Ricky Stuart facing a big task to draw some improvement from this squad, especially with what looks like a makeshift backline for this contest.

Starting 13: Kris, Cotric, Timoko, Smith-Shields, Rapana, Wighton, Fogarty, Saulo, Levi, Tapine, Young, Whitehead, Harawira-Naera – Interchanges: Starling, Mariota, Horsburgh, Guler – Reserves: Hopoate, Frawley, Woolford, Mooney, Hola

Unavailable: Xavier Savage (Injured), Josh Papali’i (Injured), Adrian Trevilyan (Injured)

THE PREDICTION

North Queensland Cowboys will hope their lack of recruitment does not hinder them this season as they prepare for another tilt at the Premiership. It is tough to gauge at this point if a settled side will help them, or if they needed to add a few more components to their side to help them kick-on but they do at least look capable of winning this opening contest against Canberra Raiders. The visitors look short on quality across the field and will need their big guns to step up if they are to take anything from this encounter but the Cows are tough to beat in Townsville and should come out on top here.