Mt Smart Stadium will play host to Friday's Round 21 NRL game between New Zealand Warriors and Canberra Raiders. The game kicks off at 6:00 pm with New Zealand Warriors heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the New Zealand Warriors vs. Canberra Raiders game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday July 21, 2023 at 6:00 pm

Where: Mt Smart Stadium

Bet: Bet On This Match HERE

New Zealand Warriors vs Canberra Raiders Odds

New Zealand Warriors vs Canberra Raiders Preview

The red-hot Warriors host Canberra just six weeks after they gate-crashed Jarrod Croker’s 300th game celebrations with a sizzling 36-14 victory in the capital.

If they repeat the dose, Andrew Webster’s charges will leapfrog the Raiders into fourth on the NRL ladder.

A titanic defensive display in the first half underpinned the Warriors’ Round 15 win, before piling on five tries in a sensational second-half blitz with Shaun Johnson at the forefront.

The Warriors have now won five of their last six games by margins of 22-plus, with a 28-6 loss to Souths in wet Auckland conditions the only blip.

Since then they’ve pumped an under-strength Parramatta away (46-10) and Cronulla at home (44-12).

It’s been difficult keeping a lid on expectations after their Johnson- and Addin Fonua-Blake-led thrashing of the Sharks.

Meanwhile, centre tyro Rocco Berry’s breakout game potentially adds another dimension to the Warriors’ burgeoning dark horse claims.

Marata Niukore (suspension) and Bunty Afoa (concussion) come back into the Warriors’ starting pack, with Bayley Sironen and – somewhat surprisingly – Josh Curran drop out of the 17.

Canberra’s run of 10 wins from their last 12 matches is impressive by any measure, but the jury remains out on the Raiders’ credentials given the manner of their wins and losses during that period.

All 10 wins were by 10 points or less; both losses were by 20-plus.

Bookended by byes, their three games since getting thumped by the Warriors consisted of nervy wins over the Roosters (20-18) and Titans (26-22), and a patchy defeat of the dismal Dragons (36-26).

They failed to go on with the job after building 18-0 leads in the former and latter.

The Raiders’ pack is bolstered by the return of Josh Papalii (hamstring), Corey Horsburgh (Origin) and Pasami Saulo (concussion).

Jack Wighton also reverts to five-eighth, with Matt Frawley, Peter Hola and Trey Mooney the players to drop out.

The Raiders have won three of their last four in New Zealand – most recently a 46-12 demolition of the Warriors at Mt Smart in 2019, the eight matches since have been shared four apiece.

Wet Mt Smart conditions have oddly proved an Achilles heel for the Warriors in 2023 – and there is some rain forecast for Friday.

The Warriors should have heeded the lessons of those losses to the Roosters and Rabbitohs, however, while their top-tier defence and ability to pile on quick points should be too much for a flighty Raiders outfit to handle, as it was on their home track last month.

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