Monday, Canberra Stadium, 7pm
Referee: Sean Hampstead

The Raiders have been installed as favourites to win this game, because of the home-ground advantage, their recent run of good form and the fact the Sharks are without star forwards Paul Gallen, who is on State of Origin duty, and Greg Bird, who would have been in the NSW side had he not been injured in last weekend's win over the Eels. But the Sharks are a resilient outfit and are still in with a good shot at winning. They beat a Broncos side that, admittedly, had to give up more players than them before Origin I, but before Origin II they were expected to lose on the road against the Panthers and managed to score an upset win. So, even without Bird and Gallen and in the harsh cold of a winter's night in Canberra, they cannot be discounted.

The Raiders were just about gone as far as their chances of making the finals were concerned before they bounced back with big wins over the Broncos and Bulldogs at their last two starts. Both of those opponents were severely weakened by injury, but it must be pointed out that the Raiders are still without plenty of injured players themselves. The Raiders will also have to do without centre Joel Monaghan, who is playing Origin. The Sharks are still without injured fullback Brett Kearney, but they have done well to cover for him in a winning streak that has stretched to four games. The Raiders have a 4-2 record at home this season, but the Sharks are 6-2 away.

LATE MAIL
Sharks coach Ricky Stuart may start with Blake Green on the bench rather than lock against Canberra on Monday night, meaning Terence Seu Seu may be left out for Grant Millington. The Raiders are expected to be as named.
Glenn Jackson

RAIDERS: David Milne, Justin Carney, Colin Best, Brett Kelly, Bronx Goodwin, Terry Campese, Todd Carney, Troy Thompson, Glen Buttriss, Dane Tilse, Glen Turner, Joe Picker, Alan Tongue (capt). Interchange: Josh Miller, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Trevor Thurling, Michael Weyman, Ben Jones.

SHARKS: Mitch Brown, Misi Taulapapa, Ben Pomeroy, David Simmons, Luke Covell, Brett Seymour, Brett Kimmorley, Ben Ross, Isaac De Gois, Danny Nutley, Luke Douglas, Fraser Anderson, Blake Green. Interchange: Paul Stephenson, Kade Snowden, Bryan Norrie, Terence Seu Seu, Grant Millington (one to be omitted).