Canberra Raiders NRL News

NRL player Albert Hopoate recovers from kitchen burn to focus on returning to Raiders first-grade team.

Canberra Weekly

The kitchen may be too hot for burns victim Albert Hopoate to handle, but the young NRL star feels much more at home on the field.

The 23-year-old Canberra player spoke on Wednesday about the grade-two burn he suffered after a bottle of olive oil spray left in an oil trap caught fire and exploded on his arm.

"There wasn't anything I could do besides just letting it heal," he said.

"The main thing was to make sure it wasn't gonna get infected."

The centre credits his wife for his resurgence into the Raiders first-grade side after returning to the squad in round...

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Raiders struggle with losses, Knights victorious. Major changes made to Raiders lineup for improvement.

League Unlimited

The Raiders are coming off a 16-6 loss to the Knights, their 4th loss in 5 matches. Tom Starling was a wall in defence with 52 tackles, while Kaeo Weekes had a mixed bag - scoring a try but also making three errors. Adam Cook was strong as well, but the team lacked performances from stars Xavier Savage, Jordan Rapana and Matthew Timoko.

By contrast the Knights took a much needed  34-26 win against the Eels, snapping a three game losing streak between their first two byes. Bradman Best was at his dominant… best… with two tries, two try assists, 8 tackle breaks and an absurd 357 running metres. Greg Marzhew recorded a double, Jackson Hastings picked up two line break assists and Dane Gagai staked his claim for a Maroons recall with 8 tackle breaks of his own.

Ricky Stuart has opted for major changes to the Raiders side in a bid to revive their season, notably Kaeo Weekes making his move to fullback permanent with Jordan Rapana sliding back to the wing and Adam Cook replacing him at halfback. Simi Sasagi joins the interchange in place of Jordan Martin, who has entered concussion protocols after failing a HIA on debut.

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Brumbies star dismisses banter, potential NRL move for promising Super Rugby players. Olympic sevens for Nawaqanitawase.

The Canberra Times

ACT Brumbies star Tom Wright has swatted away cross-code banter as he edges closer to a Wallabies recall, brushing off the suggestion the Canberra Raiders could target Super Rugby players.

Rival clubs are fired up about the prospects of Mark Nawaqanitawase and Carter Gordon suiting up for the Sydney Roosters and Gold Coast Titans as soon as this season in the fallout of their decision to walk out on rugby and join the NRL.

Nawaqanitawase is set to go to the Olympic Games as part of Australia's sevens rugby team before linking with the Roosters, while Gordon has been overlooked by Joe Schmidt as the new Wallabies coach plans for the future.

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