BY DAN

For the first time in ages the Canberra Raiders have given us a genuinely interesting team list.

In recent times the major question has been the availability of bench middles, or Coach Stuart’s predilection for carrying an extra back for shits and/or giggles. But the announcement today is fascinating in what it reveals.

First of all for those on the each end of the “Adrian Trevilyan deserves a shot/Tom Starling isn’t performing” see-saw, we’ve got a most unexpected decision. Trevilyan has been given the opportunity at 14, jumping both Starling and Danny Levi in the depth chart. We’d noted that most reports were Trevilyan was performing exceptionally well in cup footy, and even got a little too excited at some of the highlights. But to suggest that we expected an immediate escalation of the emerging star to first grade is well beyond our version of likely. Partly that was driven by a conservatism that came from Trevilyan spending so much time on the injury list in the last 18 months.

But more it was an expectation fostered by Coach Stuart being about as willing to budge as a rock in a hole. Or perhaps more charitably, a believer in what had been built so far this season as being sustainable in its success. At every opportunity Stuart has responded to critique and calls for change by suggesting other causes. After the last game he even went as far to suggest the Milk’s insipid performance wasn’t a driver of their loss. Given this animosity towards change we just assumed there would be little substantial roster change.

We were wrong (as per usual) in the best way. I cannot explain to you how excited I am for this. If Trevilyan’s body is willing and able then there’s no reason he can’t be an every week first grader. He’s got the talent and he’s been performing in lower grades. Canberra’s rakes haven’t been at their best (who has though?) so there was an opportunity. It’s interesting to see Stuart allow Trevilyan to grasp it (and to be pair him with the other best hooker on the roster. Be still my beating heart). The only risk is physical and it would be extremely unlikely for either Adrian and the coaching staff to be cavalier on this front.

This isn’t the only substantial change though. For the first time this season Seb Kris isn’t playing fullback, and has returned to his most suited position at centre. Jordan Rapana moves to custodian, and Nic Cotric is back on the wing. Now this is more than interesting. It’s downright fascinating; an Escher sketch of a decision that folds back on its self so many times it’s hard to understand which decision is the catalyst of the other.

Let’s start with the saddest and work back. Jarrod Croker is out, ostensibly with a hamstring i hey. While this is definitely plausible – it’s not hard to think his body would need a rest from the every week demands of top line footy – it’s incredibly difficult not to think of it as Coach Stuart providing cover for a football decision. Croker, as is the way, is often blamed for the sins of others, but it would take a brave person to argue anyone in the 17 has a “hold” on their spot recently. But at his age every omission feels ominous.

To cover Croker’s omission Seb Kris has been moved to the front line for the first time this season. Centre is his best position, and presumably where he play in the long term (unless Stuart gets his dream of the Seabass at six). He’ll add more power and pace than Croker on both sides of the ball. But he would have done that before the season, so if it was a straight swap on “fit” then it’s a weird time to make it. One has to wonder if Kris’ development at fullback hasn’t been to Sticky’s expectation. A further question is worth asking then as to whether Xavier Savage can be expected there when he returns from injury (you might ask similar question about Chevy Stewart but I would really be wary of exposing his still developing physique to the top line). All speculation at this point given Savage’s hamstring injury, but something to tuck away for the future.

Jordan Rapana fills in at fullback, which makes a degree of sense given he’s been the back-up to the back-up all season. But this also conveniently allows Sticky to finally find a place for Nic Cotric. He hasn’t been in the best form lately but given the club’s investment in Nic it makes sense he’s getting a chance in the top line.

As single changes their understandable. But from a holistic perspective it’s a dramatic change, intriguing at the micro but also revealing in what it suggests about Stuart’s mindset. After keeping the same 17 (if not in reality but in intent) for the best part of three months Stuart has suddenly thrown up a heap of change at once. Given the proximity to the finals and Canberra’s position on the ladder it suggest an unease at how things have gone in recent weeks. One cannot help that if he actually had a spare backrower on the roster he may have found a resting spot for Elliott Whitehead too.

Perhaps after all his truculence towards the handwringing of fans and media Stuart actually agrees with the “noise”. Maybe our concerns about a host of factors (around structure, around edge defence, around the connections across the park) are actual concerns in Raiders HQ too. It’s risky – building partnerships takes time on the field together and the Canberra are suddenly making a host of changes with little time to make them stick. There’s an aspect of panic to this – an admission that solutions need to be found and dramatic change is required to get there. When a coach changes less than the shoreline it’s hard not to get a bit nervy when he suddenly flips the board. Maybe it’s time to crack some heads open for some medulla oblongata mocktails after all.

It could also simply be a reaction to injury and a young talent tearing his way into the team. A coach wanting to send a message to a team that didn’t put in the effort. These interpretations are all valid. None of us are in Sticky’s head (and boy spare me the mindset of someone who trusts Alan Jones).

Still, one can’t demand change and also be wary of it. For once there seems to be a recognition that the Raiders were operating on borrowed time bought by a win rate that outweighed their performance. Change has come in an attempt to address that. It’s a good thing.

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