RAIDERS
After two embarrassing losses the Raiders had no option but to improve last week and whilst they did, coming off such a poor base, the improvement was still not enough to prevent them from losing their seventh game of the season and their fifth in the past six weeks.

The Raiders hosted the Panthers in round 10 and it was a try-a-thon in the first half with five four-pointers being scored inside of the first 25 minutes of the match.

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The Raiders held a slender 2 point lead at the half-time break, the first time since round 4 that they’ve found themselves in front at that time.

In the second half though, the pressure of having to record a win and diminishing some of the immense scrutiny the club had been under in the lead up to the game, started to tell.

Too many handling errors and incomplete sets kept inviting the Panthers back into the game and a two tries early in the second half was enough to see the visitors home.

There was at least some effort and commitment from the Raiders last week and that’s all Coach Ricky Stuart would have wanted to see.

It is imperative they produce a similar effort this week though and at home, against the Cowboys who will be missing key personal, they’ll get their chance to do so.

COWBOYS
The Cowboys have really started to hit their straps after a slow start to the season and have won their last three games, all in Townsville, over Parramatta, Sydney and Brisbane by an average margin of 21 points.

Leading the charge for them over the past month have been Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott, who along with Centre Brent Tate, will be missing from this week’s clash due to Origin commitments.

Whilst the above three represent the back-bone of the Cowboys outfit and are three of only five Cowboys to have played each game this year, there’s plenty of momentum at the club at present and new halves combination for this week’s clash, Ray Thomas and Robert Lui, have both been in good form.

Winger Kane Linnett, who scored a treble last week to take his season tally to six tries, will be brought in closer to the action and will fill Tate’s spot in the centres.

HEAD TO HEAD
The Raiders have only won one of their last seven games since 2011 and were narrowly defeated in the opening round of this year’s season 22 – 28.

Three of the last five played in Canberra however, have gone the way of the home-side.

WRAP
The Cowboys have are 5 -1 when playing at home this year compared to 0 – 4 on when away.

Combined with poor record when Thurston is not directing traffic and the Cowboys, despite sitting several positions higher then the Raiders on the ladder, will find this tough as the Cowboys will be desperate to build on last week.

TIP: RAIDERS 1 – 12

Odds Comparison:

Canberra Raiders	1.45	1.45	1.44	1.45	1.45	1.48
Nth Queensland Cowboys	2.85	2.80	2.85	2.80	2.85	2.70

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Teams:

Raiders: Anthony Milford, Reece Robinson, Jarrod Croker, Jack Wighton, Sami Sauiluma, Terry Campese (c), Josh McCrone, David Shillington, Glen Buttriss, Brett White, Jarrad Kennedy, Joel Edwards, Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Mitch Cornish, Matt McIlwrick, Paul Vaughan, Dane Tilse, Shannon Boyd

Cowboys: Michael Morgan, Curtis Rona, Matthew Wright, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Robert Lui, Ray Thompson, Scott Bolton, Rory Kostjasyn, Ashton Sims, Ethan Lowe, Jason Taumalolo, Tariq Sims. Interchange: Anthony Mitchell, Glenn Hall, Ricky Thorby, Joel Riethmuller, Sam Hoare, John Asiata