BY ROB

Round 24 was one of the defining rounds of the Canberra Raiders 2023 campaign. Unfortunately it was definitive in the worst possible way. The Raiders scored two points via a penalty goal and were then torn to shreds in what appeared to be the longest opposed training session ever.

If that game was an affirmation of the Storm’s capacity to win then it was confirmation that the Raiders are not the real deal this year. When they did get their hands on the Steeden their attack was so staid and predictable the Storm barely even broke a sweat turning them away.

The Raiders are hanging on by a thread and if they can’t put one over the struggling Bulldogs this weekend you can draw a line through them. The Dogs have been something of a differential punching bag this year (particularly if you’re the Knights), coughing up two 50+ point defeats and a handful of 40+ losses. They were the victims of the Raiders second biggest points haul of the season, offset by the fact that that game had a margin of 4 (34-30 at Magic Round).

Canberra desperately need to produce something in attack, but given that Sticky has stuck with what’s clearly not working I wouldn’t be expecting much. Jack Wighton at this point probably has a higher average of balls thrown into touch than he does try assists, such is the magnitude of his error count. Indeed due to the fact that Wighton is given so much ball to waste Fogarty in turn is starved of chances to vary his game, more often than not being left with an attacking bomb as the only way to finish a set.

Perhaps the most mind-numbing part of Tuesday’s team list announcement was the lack of Trevilyan for the return of Starling. Surely if there’s a time to really boost Trev’s confidence it’s against another struggling side who can or will be susceptible to manipulation around the ruck?

Normally at this point of the Rumble I’d lay out some ideas about how the Raiders can win this game. Game plans are the least of the Raiders troubles. They urgently need to learn some sort of attacking structure to deploy within the red zone, as surely even NSW Cup sides could predict and deter the endless crash ball plays they offer up. The Green Machine desperately needs a service.

Team list thoughts

Jarrod Croker makes his return to the centres in place of Seb Kris (hamstring). Having announced his retirement last weekend Croker has now just two possible regular season games at home and one on the road in the final round. He may only play this weekend, but I suspect the club will use round 26 against the Broncos as the event for an official goodbye. Croker has been an inspirational contributor to the Raiders for 15 years, and when he wraps up alongside Wighton this year it will leave Big Papa as the sole member of a Raiders generation. Here’s hoping he can bring us some sunshine in these last few rounds.

The two other changes in this round are the addition of Starling and Schiller to the bench, at the expense of Trevilyan and Saulo. I’ve already aired my grievances about Starlings inclusion above. Schiller is clearly there as backline insurance so make of that what you will.

Match-ups

Pack vs Pack

If the Raiders forwards can’t flatten the Dogs on Sunday then there’s simply no hope. I fully expect every big guy in green to break 100 metres with ball in hand, giving Fog (not you Jack) the space and time to cook up some different options for getting the ball over the try line.

Predictions

If there was ever a time for this team to stand up and show that they remember proper footy it’s now. The two games after this are tough hills to climb and there’s every chance that the Raiders woeful differential (-120!) will see them excluded from September’s action.

Raiders by 56

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