Match day guide and preview for the 2022 NRL round 18 game between the Raiders and the Storm.
Who: Melbourne Storm vs Canberra Raiders
When: Sunday 17 July 4.05pm
2022 NRL round 18: Canberra Raiders vs Melbourne Storm match day guide and preview
Raiders fullback hit by new injury blow as duo race clock for Storm clash
The Canberra Raiders have been hit by a new injury blow, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad withdrawing from this weekend's NSW Cup game due to a hamstring injury.
The fullback was due to play last weekend in the reserve grade competition, but was pulled out of the match for the same reason.
While Nicoll-Klokstad is a problem for the Raiders as he attempts to work his way back into the club's best 17, where he last played off the bench against the Dragons behind starter Xavier Savage after four weeks on the sideline, reports suggest there are more immediate concerns, with both Nick Cotric and Elliott Whitehead battling their own injury concerns.
Canberra Raiders' Josh Papalii takes State of Origin boost, but expects Cameron Munster to miss Melbourne Storm
Josh Papalii will take a Queensland-sized Origin boost into the Canberra Raiders' clash against the Melbourne Storm on Sunday.
While the Maroons enforcer said he'd be right to back-up in Melbourne, he expected his Queensland teammate Cameron Munster to be a late scratching after being ruled out of the State of Origin decider due to COVID-19.
Papalii has been disappointed with his own form over the past couple of weeks, but was looking to turn that around against the NRL benchmark.
