Live Blog: Out to a 30-6 lead over Raiders at Go Media

75 min: It's Tanah Boyd again with a neat grubber which ricochets back into his arms and he gets down low to slide in for his team's sixth try. The No.7 fails to convert his own try. Warriors 34-6.

73 min: Tanah Boyd caps a sensational game with a monster 40-20 kick to send the Go Media Stadium faithful into raptures.

68 min: All power from Leka Halasima as he leaves steps Ethan Strange, surges through Noah Martin and carries Matt Timoko over the line to complete his double and wrap up a great win for Andrew Webster's men. Warriors 30-6.

68 min: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad leaves the field for a HIA which means his night is done.

63 min: Jackson Ford is rewarded for a herculean performance when he powers onto a short ball from Erin Clark and scores under the sticks. Tanah Boyd converts. Warriors 24-6.

62 min: Tanah Boyd bombs again, Savelio Tamale spills it. Warriors with a chance to close it out.

61 min: Joe Tapine is penalised and placed on report for high contact on Dallin Watene-Zelezniak after the winger had collected a bomb.

59 min: Noah Martin goes himself out of dummy half on the last tackle and is held up.

57 min: The Raiders come up with an error on tackle one of a six-again set from close range.

54 min: Tanah Boyd comes up with an error to allow the Raiders out of the danger zone and a six-again call carries the Green Machine upfield where Taine Tuaupiki bobbles a grubber and Canberra have a chance.

49 min: Tanah Boyd goes to the line on the left edge and puts in a perfectly weighted grubber for Leka Halasima to follow through and score. Boyd again adds the extras. Warriors 18-6.

46 min: More heat on the Raiders as Corey Horsburgh makes a meal of the play-the-ball and the Warriors go on the attack from 35m out.

45 min: The Warriors go to the air and Ali Leiataua tries to tap it back but the ball travels forward and a knock on is ruled.

42 min: Tom Starling jumps on the back of a quality Corey Horsburgh offload but the Raiders hooker has his pass picked off by Ali Leiataua who races away to put the home team in front. Tanah Boyd nails the conversion. Warriors 12-6.

Half-time: An absolute arm wrestle between two heavyweights as the rain comes down and both sides complete high despite the conditions. The Warriors went 20 of 24 at 83 per cent as they overcame the loss of Kurt Capewell in the warm-up and a concussion to Chanel Harris-Tavita to remain in the contest. The Raiders completed 17 of 20 sets at 85 per cent and were well led in the middle by Corey Horsburgh (11 runs for 109m) and Hudson Young (10 runs for 84m).

40 min: Hudson Young gets caught in the ruck and is pinged for not rolling away. Tanah Boyd kicks from 40 metres out but can't get the distance and we go the break all square in Auckland.

39 min: Superb goal line defence denies Hudson Young before Ethan Sanders comes up with a cold drop to let the Warriors off the hook.

37 min: Ethan Sanders launching a floating torpedo which Dallin Watene-Zelezniak fails to control and the Raiders are camped in the red zone.

33 min: Seb Kris tackles Jacob Laban on suspicion and the Warriors get a penalty from close range which Tanah Boyd bangs over to level us up. 6-6

27 min: Hudson Young grubbers into the in-goal and earns the Raiders a repeat set.

26 min: More concern for the Warriors as James Fisher-Harris leaves the field for a HIA. He passed and was able to return.

23 min: On the back of a set restart the Warriors push hard but a lofted pass by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad lands at the feet of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who can't control the bouncing ball.

21 min: A penalty against Joe Tapine for a shoulder charge hands the Warriors great field position.

19 min: A spilled ball from milestone man Roger Tuivasa-Sheck as the tough conditions make handling difficult.

14 min: The home side hit back when Erin Clark, Tanah Boyd, Taine Tuaupiki and Ali Leiataua handle in a right-side raid before Dallin Watene-Zelezniak finishes off in the corner. Boyd misses the conversion. Raiders 6-4.

11 min: Kaeo Weekes puts in a grubber but it goes too long and skips away on the wet grass allowing the Warriors to come away.

9 min: Chanel Harris-Tavita tries to go low on Noah Martin but catches the hip of the Raiders forward and slumps straight to the turf. Harris-Tavita is sent for a HIA and is ruled a Category 1.

5 min: The Raiders get good field position early after Jacob Laban is pinged for holding down in the ruck and Kaeo Weekes explodes into space from 10 metres out and leaves Ali Leiataua in his wake to give Canberra the lead. Ethan Sanders converts from in front. Raiders 6-0.

1 min: An early shock for the Warriors with Kurt Capewell suffering a torn calf in the warm-up and failing to take his place in the starting side. Leka Halasima starts in jersey No.16 and will patrol the left edge.

Late Mail

Warriors: Marata Niukore dropped out of the squad 24 hours before kick-off as he continues to battle a calf injury. Alofiana Khan-Pereira was the other player to make way on Thursday. Back-rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava is part of the game day 19 after being on NSW Cup duty last week while Morgan Gannon is the last man to drop out of the squad an hour before kick-off.

Raiders: No late changes for the Raiders. Morgan Smithies will start at prop after veteran Josh Papalii was placed into the HIA protocol. Emerging back-rower Noah Martin retains his place in the starting side following an exceptional performance against Manly last week. Matt Timoko comes off the bench for his first NRL appearance of the year having made a successful return from a foot injury via NSW Cup last week.

Numbers Game

• The Warriors are aiming for a 2-0 start for the first time since 2018.
• The Raiders have won their last three games against the Warriors.
• Warriors forward Leka Halasima has scored seven tries in his last seven games at Go Media Stadium.
• Raiders five-eighth Ethan Strange has scored six tries in his last five NRL games.
• Winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will make his 150th appearance for the Warriors. 

 

Roosters v Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium

Late Mail

Roosters: No further changes on game day after centre Billy Smith was ruled out on Thursday following a reported e-bike incident. Smith has been replaced by Junior Pauga, who shifts from the bench to the starting side. Tom Rodwell is the new face on the interchange as a result. In positive news, Rob Toia is on track to take his place in the side, however Spencer Leniu will be sidelined for a month with a hamstring injury. Angus Crichton will play his 200th NRL game, having started his career at the Rabbitohs before joining the Roosters in 2019. 

Rabbitohs: No late changes for Souths. Jayden Sullivan starts at halfback after making a successful return from a broken leg and infection via the interchange last week. Sullivan replaces Ashton Ward, who succumbs to a syndesmosis injury. 

Numbers Game

• The Roosters have won five of their last six games against the Rabbitohs.
• Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston requires two tries to break the all-time premiership tryscoring record.
• Roosters winger Daniel Tupou has scored nine tries in his last six games at Allianz Stadium.
• Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray has scored three tries in three games against the Roosters.
• Roosters second-rower Angus Crichton will play his 200th NRL game.