Canberra Raiders-Brisbane Broncos is a little bit of NRL history repeating

The Canberra Raiders need to win to ensure they play finals. And they could end the Brisbane Broncos' season at the same time.

Campese led the Green Machine to a hostile Lang Park 12 years ago - needing to beat the Broncos to ensure they made the top eight, with the Broncos needing to win by at least 15 points to knock them out.

Roll forward to 2022 and Brisbane has to beat St George Illawarra at Kogarah on Saturday and then hope the Raiders lose to Wests Tigers at Leichhardt on Sunday.

In the words of Metallica - nothing else matters.

Both teams sit level on 28 competition points, but Canberra's in the box seat with a far superior points differential.

Campese and his Green Machine knocked off the Broncos 18-16, not only ending the Banana Benders' season but also sending Israel Folau off into the rugby union never never as a loser.

The former Canberra captain felt the confidence the Raiders would take out of thrashing Manly last weekend had them primed to repeat the dose for the Broncos.

History backs Campese up. This will be the seventh time the Green Machine have gone into the final round of the regular season needing to win to play finals.

They've done it five times, including 2010, with last year's loss to the Sydney Roosters the only occasion they haven't pulled it off - but given that was a COVID-affected campaign it doesn't really count.

"I can remember the Broncos game when we had to play up there at Suncorp and they had to win by a certain amount and we had to lose not to make the finals," Campese said.

"It was the first time they hadn't made the finals in so long. It was a packed house, 40,000-odd at Suncorp.

"Games like that still stick with you. Very similar to this weekend ... if they win they get to knock the Broncos out again."

Manage that and another former Raiders captain felt they could help create NRL history.

No team has come from outside the top four to win the premiership - something Alan Tongue felt could happen this season.

The Sydney Roosters and South Sydney, two of the finals-bound teams below the top four, go into the play-offs in good form, while the Green Machine have won six of their past seven games - under the pressure of knowing they had to basically win them all.

"I really can't wait. I think it's going to be a cracking finals series," Tongue said.

"Maybe this is the year that someone down below can take it out.

"We've seen this year that any team on their day, if you turn up with the right mindset, it's yours for the taking. It's going to be great."

Campese looked at the NRL draw about four weeks and came up with two names - Brisbane and the Roosters.

They were the two teams he felt the Raiders could run down to sneak into the eight.

The Broncos have since imploded, losing their past two games by a combined total of 95 points to put Canberra in the box seat.

Campese expected the Raiders to be nervous, but also confident after their drubbing of the Sea Eagles last weekend.

He felt they had strike all over the park - especially off the back of the platform being laid by the middles.

Joe Tapine and Josh Papalii have had massive seasons and been integral in the Raiders' run home.

He said that had allowed their outside backs, like leading try-scorer Sebastian Kris, to start to shine.

"The forwards, Joe and Papa, their little tip-ons in the middle, have been outstanding and they just need to lay the platform for the outside backs," Campese said.

"Then [halves Jack Wighton] and Jamal [Fogarty] will come into their own.

"They've got strike all over the field. Xavier Savage, what a find, what a player he is. He's probably at 20 per cent of what his capacity is."

Tongue similarly saw Tapine and Papalii as the keys who would allow Wighton and Hudson Young to run rampant.

While Wests have been struggling, losing their past four, and were on track to win the wooden spoon, Tongue felt it would be the perfect game for the Green Machine.

He expected the Tigers to bring plenty of intensity - not only looking to end the season well, but also send captain James Tamou off in style for his final game with the club.

But Tongue expected the Raiders to be mature enough to cope with it and set up a mouth-watering semi-final.

A win would see Canberra take on the Melbourne Storm in a knockout final in Melbourne - where the Green Machine have won four in a row.

"They're a mature-enough footy side to be able to understand the position they're in and what they'll be coming up against," Tongue said.

"They'll certainly be ready for it. It looks like the way it's going to pan out it would be Melbourne they're going to play.

"That just makes for a huge occasion. They've had some joy down there, but that's a blockbuster around the corner if they can get there."

NRL ROUND 25

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval, 4pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Xavier Savage, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Zac Woolford, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (c), 13. Adam Elliott. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Corey Horsburgh, 17. Corey Harawira-Naera. Reserves: 18. Albert Hopoate, 19. Ata Mariota, 20. Matt Frawley, 21. Peter Hola, 22. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

Tigers squad: 1. Daine Laurie, 2. Brent Naden, 3. Starford To'a, 4. Luke Garner, 5. Ken Maumalo, 6. Adam Doueihi, 7. Jock Madden, 8. James Tamou, 9. Jake Simpkin, 10. Joe Ofahengaue, 11. Thomas Freebairn, 12. Kelma Tuilagi, 13. Fa'amanu Brown. Interchange: 14. Fonua Pole, 15. Zane Musgrove, 16. Tyrone Peachey, 17. Austin Dias. Reserves: 18. Jacob Liddle, 19. Junior Pauga, 20. James Roberts, 21. Henry O'Kane, 22. Brandon Mansfield.

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