BY ROB

I need to tell you something.

Usually I try and write the Rumble from an objective viewpoint. I try and refrain from saying “I”, “us or “we” when writing about the Raiders. I feel it makes the Rumble a bit more official (I could and probably am very wrong on this point).

The thing I want to tell you about is the disconnect I feel from this team right now. Not the club, just this NRL team. On Sunday last week I watched two Raiders games back to back. On numerous occasions during the NRLW game I was yelling at my tv in support of players doing great things, and mildly admonishing them when those things weren’t so great.

During the following NRL game I don’t think I uttered a word. I didn’t cheer any of the tries, I didn’t curse any of the errors. I just sat there in a kind of stupor, occasionally tweeting some sort of witty repartee (oh and you better believe it was witty). In short, this Raiders team has emotionally ruined me in 2023.

Part of the disconnect is due to the Raiders failing to address their issues and move beyond them. They’ve either been unable or unwilling to work out what’s gone wrong, despite amassing fresh video evidence on a near-weekly basis.

There is one game that stands out among all the others this year: round 6, against the Broncos, at Suncorp. With five rounds gone, for just one win, and the stench of a Panthers-inflicted thrashing still heavy in the air, the boys in green made changes. The senior players had themselves a little emergency meeting and put their plan into action.

They bailed Sticky up and told him they wanted Croker back in first grade. They then booted the coaching staff and held their own video and honesty session, identifying where things were going wrong.

The Raiders staged the shock of the round in Brisbane. Sans Wighton and Tapine they sprung a defensive ambush on the then-ladder leaders, ruining the rhythm of Reynolds and swarming in tackles.

The only video work they need this week is to watch that win. They’re still a chance for finals, but if they bomb this and the Sharks game they could we’ll miss out despite their 13 wins. At the very least they should try and send Jack and Jarrod out as winners in their final home game (or in Jack’s case as a winning onlooker).

Brisbane are one of four genuine contenders this year and even slightly underpowered are a terrifying prospect for a Raiders side that only managed to put 12 points on the Bulldogs. If Canberra slack off they will be punished accordingly, and their differential is already bad enough.

Long early kicking supported by a strong kick chase is key. Tire those Broncos forwards and keep that lethal backline mostly in their own end. Don’t let Walsh get into open space.

Team list thoughts

Wighton is still out with a hammy (theoretically. Smells like a sticky smokescreen!), which means that the Tigers game was effectively his last match at Canberra stadium. Croker remains a chance to say farewell to the faithful in a winning mood. The side is unchanged from last week.

On the Brisbane side of things there’s no Reynolds this week, which makes things slightly easier for the men in green.

Match-ups

Corey Horsburgh vs Whichever Bronco has the ball

Horse was a revelation in round six, somehow managing to be in multiple locations at once as he set about making possession a bad thing for Broncos ball carriers. Fans want more of that please.

Predictions

The optimist in me wants to tell you everything will be ok, but the extremely tired pessimist next to them thinks this might be another horror weekend for the Green Machine. Ultimately their fate is their own. They have the talent, physicality and skills – they just need to choose success.

Raiders by 4

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