Rugby League

Form slump, off-field drama marring Raiders clash

Jun 27, 2026

Disappointed Canberra Raiders players. — Canberra's season is on life support and only a win will do at home to the Dragons. -AAP Image

Coach Ricky Stuart insists Canberra must relish in their purple patch if they are to get the most out of their flailing NRL season.

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Last year's minor premiers are struggling to replicate their results, sitting 16th on the ladder and needing to win about eight of their last nine games to get themselves into the finals race.

A victory against cellar dwellers St George Illawarra on Sunday at GIO Stadium would lay the platform for a remarkable push towards the top eight.

But Stuart is looking beyond the results and towards his players' futures.

"We had young players last year, too, but they are definitely going through a completely different part of their journey right now," Stuart said on Saturday.

"They're now experiencing what it's like to be under pressure, to be chased, and it's a completely different style of pressure.

"What they're experiencing now will only make them a more experienced footballer in years to come.

"We don't want to be experiencing this type of scenario we're in now, but it happens."

The Raiders also go into the clash dealing with off-the-field dramas after Canberra was informed last week that utility Daine Laurie will miss the match.

It comes amid speculation that the former Penrith utility is serving a ban after he was allegedly found with an illicit substance the morning after the Panthers' preliminary final loss to Brisbane last September.

"That was out of our control. Something we spoke about yesterday was that there's discipline, there's controllables and then there are other areas of the football field that are uncontrollable," Stuart said.

"We've got to just look after the controllables and what happened with Daine was out of our control. That was at Penrith."

Canberra will be boosted by the return of star centre Simi Sasagi from a shoulder injury.

"It was a strange injury that will probably need surgery at the end of the season," the coach added.

For the Dragons, they'll be looking to avenge last Friday's 22-20 loss to Newcastle and win in the nation's capital for the first time since 2015.

The starting 13 will remain unchanged with centre Moses Suli still battling a hip issue, while Jacob Halangahu and Nick Tsougranis have been named on the extended bench.