By Tallon Smith

Footy fans in the Canberra region have begun circling their calendars and writing in their diaries after the draw for the Canberra Raiders Cup season was released last month.

The draw is highlighted by the Grand Final rematch between Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan Roos, to be held in Round 7 on May 18, with the Bushrangers hosting the premiers at Greenway Oval.

The return bout will be held in Round 16 on August 3 at Crestwood Oval in a match that will likely have a huge influence on finals positions.

The Hume Highway Derby between Yass amd Goulburn City will be held in Round 2, with the Magpies welcoming the Bulldogs to Walker Park on April 13, before the return bout at the Goulburn Workers Arena in Round 11 on June 22.

The Queanbeyan Derby will also be held in Rounds 2 and 11, with last year’s wooden spooners Blues looking to make an early statement against their highly fancied cross town rivals.

In what shapes as the ‘Rivalry Rounds’, weeks 2 and 11 of the season are rounded off with Gungahlin v Belconnen and Tuggeranong v Woden Valley encounters that are also sure to pull big crowds.

The Belconnen Derby will be contested in Rounds 9 and 18, with West Belconnen the unlucky side to have a bye in the rivalry rounds.

The same nine teams will contest the competition in 2024 as usual, with all clubs at this stage expected to field all five grades.

The full draw is attached below, whilst a match centre version can be viewed at playrugbyleague.com.

Full 2024 Canberra Raiders Cup Draw 

• Home team listed first rounds 1-9, reverse rounds 10-18

• All games Saturday unless noted

Round 1 (April 6) & Round 10 (June 15)

Belconnen v Queanbeyan Roos

West Belconnen v Woden Valley

Queanbeyan Blues v Gungahlin

Yass v Tuggeranong

Goulburn bye

Round 2 (April 13) & Round 11 (June 22)

Tuggeranong v Woden Valley

Gungahlin v Belconnen

Queanbeyan Blues v Queanbeyan Roos

Goulburn v Yass

West Belconnen bye

Round 3 (April 20) & Round 12 (June 29)

Tuggeranong v West Belconnen

Gungahlin v Yass

Belconnen v Queanbeyan Blues

Woden Valley v Goulburn (Sun 21st April)

Queanbeyan Roos bye

Round 4 (April 27) & Round 13 (July 6)

Queanbeyan Roos v Woden Valley

Yass v Queanbeyan Blues

Goulburn v Tuggeranong

West Belconnen v Gungahlin (Sun 28th April)

Belconnen bye

Round 5 (May 4) & Round 14 (July 13)

Gungahlin v Tuggeranong

Belconnen v Goulburn

Queanbeyan Roos v West Belconnen

Queanbeyan Blues v Woden Valley (Sun 14 July)

Yass bye

Round 6 (May 11) & Round 15 (July 20)

Woden Valley v Belconnen

West Belconnen v Yass

Queanbeyan Roos v Gungahlin

Queanbeyan Blues v Goulburn

Tuggeranong bye

Round 7 (May 18) & Round 16 (August 3)

Tuggeranong v Queanbeyan Roos

Gungahlin v Goulburn

Belconnen v Yass

West Belconnen v Queanbeyan Blues (Sun 19th May)

Woden Valley bye

Round 8 (May 25) & Round 17 (August 10)

Woden Valley v Gungahlin

Tuggeranong v Belconnen

Queanbeyan Roos v Yass

Goulburn v West Belconnen (Sun 11th August)

Queanbeyan Blues bye

Round 9 (June 1) & Round 18 (August 17)

Belconnen v West Belconnen

Queanbeyan Blues v Tuggeranong

Yass v Woden Valley

Goulburn v Queanbeyan Roos

Gungahlin bye