Yes the Might of the Green Machine
Off the top of my head these 2 teams have met in the finals approx 6 occasions........with Bulldogs taking most honours as they are a team i have never liked because of this statistic.
Laurie Daley never won a game at Belmore...neither did Mal.
Dogs are a bogey team to the Raiders.......Dogs knocked us out in 1995 i believe.........then again a few years ago.
I know its a different era........but my only saving grace for this voodoo team is the 1994 Grand Final.
The 2 games this year we have been rolled to defeat......the scoreline werent bad, but if u look between the lines...the dogs had us beat in every statistic in rugby league for both games, and i recall one of them we racked up nearly 600 tackles.
We need to control the ball alot better and maintnain possesion......the raiders are 70% of the time losing the possesion stat, which means u make more tackles, and are less effective in attack.
We need to adress this issue and come out on top and gain repeat sets with grubbers etc
Raiders best bet, is that this game is an ugly arm wrestle, in which the Raider have a stubborn element which can derail anyone........We were beating the sharks by 26 pts, but as per ususal, the Raiders wont seek closure until they realise they can lose the deal from the scruff of their necks.
If Dogs ever get a lead of 14 points or more, the game will be well and truly theirs
Raiders need to stay in the lead, or keep the arm wrestle going, and try and keep the possesion stat even.
With SBW, Willie and O'Meley.........u cant afford to give that pack majority of possesion, coz u'll be making more gang tackles with these guys, meaning there will be a shortage in defense at many certain times, provided these rep players can score an offload.
This game will be won or lost in the forwards..Raiders backline and kicking game can match the Dogs..........but whomever gets on top in the forwards should win this game.
Young forwards of Tilse and Weyman really need to make an impact and step up to the challenge.
Keep and eye out for the slip of the ole Tongue at any given time, whom can single handedly strike a knife in the back of the Dogs, with easy soft, darting runs.
MAN I LOVE RUGBY LEAGUE
MAN I LOVE FINALS FOOTY
I AM FOAMING!!!