NRL: Raiders ready to earn win number four

Canberra Raiders will be targeting their fourth win of the NRL season when they take on the struggling Gold Coast Titans on Sunday evening.

The Green Machine were written off by many at the start of the campaign following the departure of Jack Wighton, but they are proving the doubters wrong.

They have won three of the opening five games and can be backed at 41.00 to make the grand final.

Finishing in the top eight will be the first and more realistic goal and they can be backed at 2.50 to play finals.

The Titans on the other hand have had a nightmare start to the season and have lost all four games they have played.

Even so, upsets do happen and the Titans will be out to pull one off at GIO Stadium.

. What: Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans
. Where: GIO Stadium, Canberra
. When: 19:15, Sunday 14th April 2024
. How to watch: Kayo, Foxtel
. Odds: Canberra Raiders 1.36, Gold Coast Titans 3.20

Raiders on a high

The Raiders will be on a high after smashing Parramatta Eels 41-8 last weekend and are the hot fancies to put the Titans to the sword.

It was their second win of the season at GIO Stadium, following on from a 20-point win over Wests Tigers, so the venue is becoming a fortress.

The Raiders also won the corresponding fixture in 2023, but it was a close one, with just four points separating the two sides.

If it is to be that close again, the Raiders can be backed at 6.50 to win by 1-5 points.

Canberra have been rocked by the news that key fullback Jordan Rapana will be missing with a knee injury, so Chevy Stewart will come in and make his debut.

Zac Hoskin has recovered from concussion and will return to the side.

Xavier Savage has been in great form when scoring eight tries in his last 10 games and can be backed at 9.00 to score the first try of the game.

Titans in need of a lift

The Titans have had a poor start to the season under the leadership of new coach Des Hasler, who faces one of the biggest tests of his career.

Gold Coast have won just one game in the last nine against the Raiders and it will be a huge upset if they get the job done in the nation's capital.

To start they need to stop leaking points after conceding 28 points or more in their last nine NRL fixtures, including a 35-22 defeat against the Cowboys last week.

Despite their poor form, the Titans still have some star players in their side and can pull off a result if they get their act together.

David Fifita is one such player and he can be backed at 3.25 to score a try at anytime.

If the Titans are to get the points, it will be tight, and they are priced at 8.00 to win by 1-5 points.