BY DAN

The Canberra Raiders locked up their hooking stock for at least 2024 when the Canberra Times reported that dummy-half prodigy Adrian Trevilyan for next season.

It is great news for all of our fellow Trevilheads. Adrian has been long forecast as a player of immense talent, by Peter Mulholland, by Josh Hodgson, the ABC’s Nick Campton, former coaches, and anyone that’s seen him play. He combines a beautiful long pass off the ground with heady service and an ability to slice and dice rucks that would make William Halsted smile (two Halsted references in a month! Call back!).

But don’t take my word for it. Watch him hit the Panthers with the Jimmy Dolan shake-and-bake last week.

Play of the Week Round 21 🔥

He's only been back for a few games in 2023, but Canberra hooker Adrian Trevilyan is already making a big impact in the Raiders' attack 👀#NSWCup #KOECup pic.twitter.com/UTcRbTjA3S

— The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup (@NSWCup) July 26, 2023

Keep in mind he’s been watching footy for the last 18 months while his body healed from not one but two major surgeries. Back on the field he’s already proving his got a higher ceiling than the Sagrada Familia (and just as beautiful). So it makes perfect sense that the Raiders would want him around longer.

Given the unquestionable talent one may wonder why he’s only been given the one year extension, but the Raiders have form here. We saw it with the Harley Smith-Shields extension, who only signed on for an additional year instead of the seemingly standard two. When young players are coming back from significant injury perhaps there’s a strategy to give short term deals to mitigate against the risk of our hopes and dreams not being delivered. It works in the other direction too. Trevilyan’s market value is probably at its nadir right now. In twelve months time, with a bit of proof of both his body and potential he could be up for a big pay day.

So while it’s wonderful news all-round, The only concern is in the wider context. As we’ve spoken about a fair bit recently the Raiders now have four hookers on the thirty-man roster for next season (talk about big pimpin). That seems a lot (most teams carry three) but as we’ve noted proportionally it makes sense.

Canberra, and most teams, play two rakes, simply because the importance of the position. Your nine handles the ball more than any other player, is critical in driving the attack down the field, can add significant value if they can create. Teams make that player work in defence, and it means that even the best (outside Harry Grant) don’t always go 80 (for example, Api Koroisau has played the full 80 in 5 games this season). If you’re playing two in the game it makes perfect sense to carry two in reserve. Most teams do that with makeshift rakes or by staffing their fourth position through trial-and-train or Cup teams (so not part of the top 30). Given the importance of the position to literally everything teams do there’s an argument for putting big resources into the spot.

So an argument about the number is less important to me than an argument about styles and quality. The Raiders have locked up Danny Levi and Tom Starling for the longest (both until the end of 2025, Starling’s long rumoured extension reported recently). Both are ‘high-floor, low-ceiling’ running nines. For all periods outside the peak of Vlandoball Canberra’s big middles have succeeded working off the shoulders of creative nines. The Raiders’ two ‘creative’ nines, are both theoretical free agents come 1 November.

The Raiders have got that weighting ass-backwards, and in the process limited their roster flexibility going forward. If the Green Machine are going to be an elite side they’ve proven in recent times that will happen with a player like Zac Woolford wheeling and dealing around the ruck. Adrian Trevilyan is that and more. If the Raiders were to lose either after November this year it would be a travesty. Further, if having two higher-paid, higher status investments on the roster makes them less likely to play (or keep) Trevilyan and Woolford in first grade then it’s just a waste of money and potential in exchange for the blessed certainty of mediocrity, not to mention and unnecessary handbrake on the impressive generation ‘next’ the Milk are building.

So while the Trevilyan deal is unquestionably needed it does put the Raiders on the clock again, and asks them to really think about how they want to manage their roster and the style of footy they intend to play. Canberra need to be vigilant in their ongoing question to keep their best talent at the club. I hope they make the right choice.

I stood outside Raiders HQ yelling ‘Adrian’ like Rocky until they announced this deal. Do us a solid and like our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (or Threads!), or share this on social media, or i’ll call you a weak-gutted dog. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.