Raiders hoping to raid Storm's top spot

Match preview: Round 17 v Raiders

LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick

The Melbourne Storm are gearing up to face off against the Raiders in what promises to be a fiery clash between the ladder leaders and a struggling Canberra team.

The Raiders, after suffering two consecutive defeats where they leaked a whopping 82 points, will be looking to turn their fortunes around.

The Storm-Raiders rivalry has always been a fierce one, with sparks flying every time these two teams meet.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart will be banking on this rivalry to bring out the best in his players as they aim to climb back into the top eight.

Melbourne had a tough battle against the Dolphins in their last game, but managed to come out on top with a 30-24 win, thanks in part to star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen's return from injury.

Coach Craig Bellamy will be keeping a close eye on Origin Two, where hooker Harry Grant and winger Xavier Coates will be representing Queensland.

With both the Origin game and the Raiders match taking place in Melbourne, Grant and Coates have a better chance of backing up for the Storm on Saturday.

On the other hand, the Raiders have no Origin representation to worry about, but Stuart may be considering making some changes to the team after their disappointing performances in recent weeks.

Hooker Tom Starling could make a return to the line-up after missing the previous game due to concussion.

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