It’s all about the fans as the Canberra Raiders host the West Tigers in the team’s final home match for the 2025 NRL season, says coach Ricky Stuart.
The 30 August match at GIO Stadium Canberra will run during Member Appreciation Week, which shines a spotlight on the club’s supporters.
The NRLW will kick off at 12:45pm, followed by the NRL at 3pm and NSW Cup at 5:30pm.
Stuart told CD the club gave back to the fans by winning.
“I think we’re giving back to them because it makes them feel good. It makes them feel proud about their team,” he told CD at a press conference on Friday.
“There’s nothing better than winning a game football and knowing that your members – and your real supporters – the people I’m talking about, they don’t just jump on the back end of the season when you’re winning. They’re there from day one.
“It’s just a really good feeling knowing that they can leave here and go and enjoy their weekend, go and enjoy their week because the players have done a good job for them.”
But Stuart said there were also tough weeks for the team.
“There are times when you lose a couple of games in a row,” he said.
“The real supporter hangs tough. They’re the ones that I’m talking about.”
This year, the Raiders welcomed more than 25,000 members – the highest in club history.
Throughout the week, the club shone a spotlight on members by sharing their stories, while Raiders players thanked the members personally.
On game day, the celebrations continue with live interviews with passionate members, including Viking ambassador Steve French, Viking Clap drummer Simon ‘Raiders Drummer’ Tayoun, and Raiders Chairman Dennis Richardson.
Post-match, Raiders players will present jerseys to members.
This weekend marks the club’s third sold out match following the Raiders’ top of the table clash against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday 10 May, which saw 23,827 fans fill GIO Stadium Canberra. As well as Josh Papalii’s record-breaking 319th match on 8 June against the Rabbitohs, with an attendance of 19,438 people.
Stuart said the support had been unbelievable.
“The community has really supported the players and the club,” he told media.
“We’ve always based a lot of our values around being a community club, and we’re doing a lot of a lot of work in the community.
“We do a lot of work without any type of media exposure because we find that as a being very much more authentic and genuine but it’s lovely how the community has jumped right on board.
“And another sellout crowd, is compliments to the way the boys are playing.”
He also praised the fans for braving the cold, “difficult and tough” weather conditions at the stadium to attend the matches.
Crowd stats (source Rugby League Project):
– The Raiders will fall slightly short of the record average attendance at GIO which was 17,392 in 1994.
– The regular-season attendance so far this year is averaging 16,068. With two upcoming home finals the Raiders will most likely eclipse the average for the whole season, however, in 1994 all final matches were played in Sydney.
– The average crowd in 2019 at GIO, which included a home preliminary final was 16,238, which will be beaten with this weekend’s crowd.
NRLW milestone for co-captain Zahara Temara:
Fresh off a record-breaking win (56-24) against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on 23 August, the Raiders squad will look to make it three on the trot when they host the Tigers this weekend.
They also won their previous match on 16 August, against the New Zealand Warriors, 20-16.
This weekend marks a special milestone for Temara, who is celebrating 50 NRL games – she is only the fifth women’s player to do so.
The NZ native joined the league with the Sydney Rosters in 2018, with 2025 marking her third season with the Raiders.
Temara told media there had been many ups and downs in her career and it had been a crazy ride.
“I’m fortunate that I get to play my 50th, not many people make it there,” she said.
“I’m really happy and just enjoying the journey.”
Coach Darrin Borthwick said it was a huge achievement in the women’s space.
“It couldn’t happen to a better person either, she deserves every accolade that she gets and I’m glad that she’s running out for her 50th with this club this weekend,” he told media.
Stuart on Craig Bellamy coaching 600 NRL matches:
Stuart only had praise for his former Raiders teammate, and current Melbourne Storm coach, Craig Bellamy on reaching the milestone.
“I flew down and back on Wednesday afternoon. Melbourne was kind enough to invite myself and Laurie (Daley) down to a nice dinner they had for him,” he told CD.
“I think they’ve had a pretty big celebrative week for Craig, and he thoroughly deserves it.
“I think he’s the best coach in the game. And I think he’s been the best coach for a long, long time.”
Stuart said the detail that Bellamy put into his coaching; the Melbourne coach hadn’t changed from day one.
“We’ve been great mates since 1988 and he’s still strong today,” he said.
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