Benji Marshall has given a glowing endorsement of Ricky Stuart and the Canberra Raiders, while suggesting the Wests Tigers have a sneaky chance of causing an upset ahead of today’s Round 26 clash at GIO Stadium.
“They’re the king of the basics, Canberra,” Marshall said pre-match.
“They don’t beat themselves, they complete at a high level, they compete on every play, great kicking game, their defence is outstanding.”
While applauding Canberra’s ability to keep things simple as a collective unit, Marshall also pointed to the game-changing impact of key individuals, especially in the Raiders backline.
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“They don’t throw a lot of fancy stuff in attack, but they have individuals who can hurt you,” Marshall said.
“The guy at the back, I think he’s one of the most underrated fullbacks in the competition, (Kaeo) Weekes.
“Then you have the young five-eighth (Ethan Strange) who’s just so strong, he’s mature above his years.”
“It’s going to be tough for us,” Marshall admitted.
“But not too tough that we don’t give ourselves a chance.”
The Raiders go into the game as hot favourites to win, a result that would see the club claim the J.J. Giltinan Shield as minor premiers for the first time since 1990.
Should they lose to the Tigers, the Raiders will get another chance in Round 27 against the Dolphins at Kayo Stadium in Redcliffe.