Gameday Canberra Raiders v NZ Warriors - [Round 2, 2026]

[NZWarriors.com]

Canberra Raiders v NZ Warriors - [Round 2, 2026]
GAME DAY
Friday 13th March 8:00pm NZST
Go Media​

Welcome to your NZWF game day thread for todays clash.

Follow the game live at Warriors Live for live updates.

This thread will be locked following the final whistle with or without warning. Discussion will then be shifted to the POST MATCH thread.

UP THE WAHS!!!

 

[Beastmode]

time to make a statement to the NRL

Let’s do it whanau

All in.

Warriors -12

 

[Po11um]

Warriors need to win the home games & make mt smart a fortress.
Warriors 12-

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Game day!

Surprised to see the game not sold out? Can’t remember the last game that wasn’t. Looking for our middles to backup what they did last week and hoping to see some more Tanah brilliance. Could be a wet track which plays into our hands more than theirs with the raiders having some dynamic backs.

Warriors 1-10

 

[sydneywarrior92]

On form, this is game of the round, not the Rabbits vs Roosters game that everyone is salivating over. The comp's best 2 packs going at it for 80 minutes. The contrast with yesterday's game is going to be real stark. A real game for the NRL purists. Can't wait.

This game is super important in the context of our season. Not only will we be sending a statement if we knock over two premiership contenders in the first 2 weeks, but we have a real chance to go 4-0. Next two games are against Newcastle and Wests who we match up well against. That's going to be invaluable as Mets and Barney near their returns.

Up the Wahs! I'm flying back to the US straight after the game. So hopefully my role as a good omen continues for one more week!

 

[3rdstriker]

Good luck hopefully we can make amends for last year's tight defeat,
Good to see Tss go around again if he keeps performing he's gonna be hard to leave out.
Depending on all the traffic that gets sent Leiataua and Dwzs way if we tighten up some areas we should win.

 

[Po11um]

On form, this is game of the round, not the Rabbits vs Roosters game that everyone is salivating over. The comp's best 2 packs going at it for 80 minutes. The contrast with yesterday's game is going to be real stark. A real game for the NRL purists. Can't wait.

This game is super important in the context of our season. Not only will we be sending a statement if we knock over two premiership contenders in the first 2 weeks, but we have a real chance to go 4-0. Next two games are against Newcastle and Wests who we match up well against. That's going to be invaluable as Mets and Barney near their returns.

Up the Wahs! I'm flying back to the US straight after the game. So hopefully my role as a good omen continues for one more week!

Have a safe flight home

 

[Garry Saloon]

If Boyd plays the same again today, do we start talking about Metcalfe earning his way back through cup?

 

[juju]

Game day!

Surprised to see the game not sold out? Can’t remember the last game that wasn’t. Looking for our middles to backup what they did last week and hoping to see some more Tanah brilliance. Could be a wet track which plays into our hands more than theirs with the raiders having some dynamic backs.

Warriors 1-10

Not being sold out after a good win is really weird.

But the cost of living is really hitting people hard at the moment.

 

[BabylonPink]

On form, this is game of the round, not the Rabbits vs Roosters game that everyone is salivating over. The comp's best 2 packs going at it for 80 minutes. The contrast with yesterday's game is going to be real stark. A real game for the NRL purists. Can't wait.

This game is super important in the context of our season. Not only will we be sending a statement if we knock over two premiership contenders in the first 2 weeks, but we have a real chance to go 4-0. Next two games are against Newcastle and Wests who we match up well against. That's going to be invaluable as Mets and Barney near their returns.

Up the Wahs! I'm flying back to the US straight after the game. So hopefully my role as a good omen continues for one more week!

Bro. Goodluck over there. Probably delete all the baby faces JD Vance memes of your phone too. Oh and avoid schools, church's and places of worship.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

If Boyd plays the same again today, do we start talking about Metcalfe earning his way back through cup?

.

Tanah is benefitting from a full preseason of training to be the acting half.

Personally, I'd see no reason to rush Metcalf back, if we are smashing out wins.

It gives a good option to refresh the halfback role for our finals run. It also increases the chances of Lukey making it to a finals series.

Of course, it adds the question of long would it take for the rest of the team to adjust to Metcalfs nuances in passing and distribution.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Not being sold out after a good win is really weird.

But the cost of living is really hitting people hard at the moment.

I mean I think south stand tickets have increased by another $5. I don’t think a lot of non-members realise they are discounted after a win

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Good luck hopefully we can make amends for last year's tight defeat,
Good to see Tss go around again if he keeps performing he's gonna be hard to leave out.
Depending on all the traffic that gets sent Leiataua and Dwzs way if we tighten up some areas we should win.

I hope Webby has given them a rev up and reminded the players of how the raiders players disrespected us as fans last time they played here. Can’t stand them and sooky Stuart

 

[snake77]

Looking at our draw prior to the season starting it was two tough games at home to start.

I thought the Roosters, although a lot of hope was the more winnable game, as they do often struggle to start the season.

Now that game is done, this is the big one. Last year, the Raiders got us in Vegas, and the next game, we showed we had improved. Let's show that we can be consistent. Hopefully all the hype is on the Souths/Roosters game and this ends up the match of the round.

If we are going to make an impact in this competition, it would be good to get some wins over the heavyweights from last year. Let's start with the Raiders. Breaking the Storm losing streak later would be great.

 

[CWC]

I'm wondering if Ali still can't tackle after a week's training, should Dallin just jam in hard no matter what, if they do the rainbow pass at least Ali who will still be on his feet can cover the winger and our inside defenders will be ready to scramble.

Best case is he tackles like CHT and rattle them

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

I'm wondering if Ali still can't tackle after a week's training, should Dallin just jam in hard no matter what, if they do the rainbow pass at least Ali who will still be on his feet can cover the winger and our inside defenders will be ready to scramble.

Best case is he tackles like CHT and rattle them

i mean, we've seen that Ali can hit hard when he uses his shoulder properly.

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

On form, this is game of the round, not the Rabbits vs Roosters game that everyone is salivating over. The comp's best 2 packs going at it for 80 minutes. The contrast with yesterday's game is going to be real stark. A real game for the NRL purists. Can't wait.

This game is super important in the context of our season. Not only will we be sending a statement if we knock over two premiership contenders in the first 2 weeks, but we have a real chance to go 4-0. Next two games are against Newcastle and Wests who we match up well against. That's going to be invaluable as Mets and Barney near their returns.

Up the Wahs! I'm flying back to the US straight after the game. So hopefully my role as a good omen continues for one more week!

If the US immigration officials ask for your message board sign-in details just tell them it’s “MaybeTop8”. Have a good trip back!

 

[roguei]

Raiders flew down to auckland pretty much directly after their game in sydney and have been training at Dilworth school all week. So it should be a tough battle tonight, as it looks like the raiders want this win just as much as us.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Raiders flew down to auckland pretty much directly after their game in sydney and have been training at Dilworth school all week. So it should be a tough battle tonight, as it looks like the raiders want this win just as much as us.

I hate how much I respect this.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Looking at our draw prior to the season starting it was two tough games at home to start.

I thought the Roosters, although a lot of hope was the more winnable game, as they do often struggle to start the season.

Now that game is done, this is the big one. Last year, the Raiders got us in Vegas, and the next game, we showed we had improved. Let's show that we can be consistent. Hopefully all the hype is on the Souths/Roosters game and this ends up the match of the round.

If we are going to make an impact in this competition, it would be good to get some wins over the heavyweights from last year. Let's start with the Raiders. Breaking the Storm losing streak later would be great.

I think if you ask most NRL "experts" in Aussie, they would have said that the chooks game was our toughest game to start the year. To put 40 on a top dog that many have as minor premiers this year was an eye opener for many of the pundits across the ditch.

In many respects, we were lucky to have played such a dumb footy team last week. Roosters big mistake was to think they could copy/paste a running game plan that works on a fast dry track in Sydney and replicate it here in wet, dewey Auckland. Shock horror that it doesn't work: there's a reason that the Wallabies haven't won in Eden Park for the last 40 years.

The Raiders present a different challenge. I don't think they are as potent out wide as the Roosters. But they definitely have no problem rolling up their sleeves tonight. Last time they had the edge with both JFH, Barney out and them being full strength. This time with Papa out, we have the edge. Morgan Smithies is a solid player but he is no papa. I back our boys to give the young Sanders kid a rude awakening tonight.

I say we win 10-8.