- 1 Raiders vs Cowboys: the Origin hangover lands in Canberra
- 2 The Raiders face a physical test and some uncertainty around their stars
- 3 A resilient Cowboys side built for life on the road
- 4 The key numbers before kick-off
- 5 NRL Prediction Canberra Raiders vs NQ Cowboys
- 6 First, a quick word on our predictions
- 7 No commitment from us
- 8 Details can change
- 9 Your role
- 10 Responsible gambling first
- 11 Legal age
- 12 About the visuals…
Raiders vs Cowboys: the Origin hangover lands in Canberra 
How about them Cowboys? In the NFL or the NRL, it works either way. Barely has the dust settled on State of Origin and the NRL serves up a cracking Sunday contest at GIO Stadium between the Canberra Raiders and the North Queensland Cowboys.
Beaten last weekend by the Dolphins 30-22 despite scoring inside the opening minute, the home side are desperate to halt a poor run at home against visitors riding high after a solid 30-18 win over the Rabbitohs.
With Round 13 heavily shaped by midweek interstate duty, handling tired stars will be the big test over the next 80 minutes, especially with both squads chopped and changed by the quick turnaround.
The Raiders face a physical test and some uncertainty around their stars 
Canberra have looked a lot sharper over the past month, playing more direct, more physical and with better cohesion thanks to the spark of young fullback Kaeo Weekes and the middle rotation bringing some real punch.
The main issue is that the two men driving that rise, new international Ethan Strange and second-rower Hudson Young, who is celebrating his 150th NRL appearance, have only just come out of the Origin arena.
Ricky Stuart has talked up their recovery after a light training run on Saturday, but there is a very real chance they go through the game below their best or get managed along the way. If that happens, a big chunk of Canberra’s attack goes with it against a defence built like a brick wall.
A resilient Cowboys side built for life on the road 
Out of Townsville, the current form demands respect: eight wins from their last 10, with Tom Dearden’s long absence more than covered by a halves pairing led by Jake Clifford, who has steadied the ship while Scott Drinkwater keeps causing havoc from the back.
For the trip to the capital, Todd Payten has made a bold call by giving captain Reuben Cotter a breather after his punishing 56 minutes in Queensland colours, with Matt Lodge brought in at prop while the backline gets a major boost from Murray Taulagi’s return after concussion protocols. Strong through the middle and far more varied in attack than they were earlier in the year, the Cowboys arrive with plenty of belief and a clear idea of how they want this played.
The key numbers before kick-off
The recent head-to-head record tilts heavily towards the visitors, who have taken the last seven meetings against Canberra, while GIO Stadium has lost plenty of its old edge and now looks more like North Queensland’s happy hunting ground. The Raiders have not beaten the Cowboys there since 2018 and are on a grim run of six losses in their last seven home games against them.
By contrast, Todd Payten’s men travel exceptionally well this season, arriving on a current four-game winning run away from home, which naturally throws the bookmakers’ favourite status into question.
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NRL Prediction Canberra Raiders vs NQ Cowboys
M. Taulagi scores a try.
Two try-scorers we like in this one: K. Weekes and M. Taulagi. Taulagi for the Cowboys is also, as you can see, a regular feature in our weekly coverage. Our model is backing a Cowboys win too.
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