BY DAN

The residual happiness that comes from a game like Sunday night could sustain an index. The dopamine will be flowing for days for the fan base. One can only wonder how it plays out for the team. While Sunday night was near perfect it’s still ephemeral. Now it’s on to the next, with a new set of issues and problems to solve.

The most obvious is the injury front. There was a period on Sunday night where Canberra players were dropping like pills at a rave. Jordan Rapana was the most notable casulaty but he was quickly followed by Corey Horsburgh and Ata Mariota. It was a testament to how well prepared the team was (and how poor the Eels were) that bench players could fill roles without any noticeable concerns.

What patch up work is required will depend on medical diagnoses over the next week. Jordan Rapana somehow struggled through the game, as though he simply refused to believe his knee was hurt, and his hurt was forced to agree. The club says he’ll be assessed this week. He didn’t look free and easy in his movements and with the likely swelling that is coming, (plus the fact he’s 104) it wouldn’t surprise me if he needs a week or so to get his range of movement back (counter: Rapana is stubborn and psycho enough that he’ll just will himself through the pain).

If he does miss out there’s an intriguing team list coming. Seb Kris shifted back there during the game, leaving Xavier Savage on the wing. It’s the second time this season where someone other than Savage has moved back there to cover Rapana being off the field (Albert Hopoate moved back there to cover for a head injury assessment a few weeks back). That suggests Savage is being cordoned off, recognised as a winger first and foremost. That’s a good thing – he’s thrived with the clear and simplified role this season. There’s no point upsetting that apple-cart.

That leaves the Raiders with three other options: Seb Kris, Albert Hopoate, or Chevy Stewart. I’d be intrigued as to what Coach Stuart has made of Chevy’s performance in Cup so far. For mine it’s had plenty of the bumps of a young player developing but each week it’s improved. He’s constantly involved in attacking movements, and would offer many of the attacking variabilities that Rapana can offer (particularly in driving short-side movements and being a critical second-man in shifts). He’s not the defender Rapana is right now but he’s showing a desire and willingness to throw his body around. More importantly each week he’s in the right place more and more offten. There’s errors there – after all, he’s young enough to think a walkman is a direction not a device – but the upside is bountiful and obvious.

A short stint could entice Stuart to try Stewart. But this early in the season it could equally be seen as an unnecessary distraction to a plan that looks far beyond this week. Stick’s embrace of Ethan Strange and James Schiller this year could be evidence he’s ready to embrace the tango de la juventud. But why break the habit of a lifetime?

If that’s the case then a choice between Kris and Hopoate. Hopoate won’t be back from his burns according to the Canberra Times. assuming his burns have healed). While Hopoate’s availability would mean less disruption and not breaking up the emerging Seb/Savage partnership, Kris has won that battle in the past and I would have leaned towards him winning it again regardless. For now it means a new centre is required, at which point one would assume that Schiller would play centre and Cotric to the wing. If you’re worried about Nic’s form check out his reducing ability to run straight in the Rugby League Eye Test’s new run angles stat. He’s been playing centre in Cup. Michael Asomua has looked fucking fly in Cup footy on the wing. It’s worth consideration.

Elliott Whitehead will rest again and it seems Corey Horsburgh will also be watching for a while after a minor groin injury kept him out for much of the second half. I’m no doctor but the way the physio was searching for candy it wouldn’t surprise me if he misses a week or so. If that’s the case his spot on the bench will likely be filled by Ata Mariota, who will likely move back to the middle rotation with the return of Zac Hosking. That means Simi Sasagi, who performed exceptionally well given he played a different role that he was expecting, will likely return to Cup footy.

There’s a spot there on the bench for either Trey Mooney or Emre Guler. If you’ve read these pages before you know where we stand on that. For an abundance of transparency and caution let’s say if Trey Mooney can’t find his way on to the team-list then we should march on Raiders HQ (or cry because it almost certainly means his future is already decided).

More than team-lists there’s an emotional challenge coming. The Raiders turned up and put out Sunday because they had to. Both they and the Eels were desperate and the Milk certainly played that way. Their next opponent, the Gold Coast Titans, should be desperate, if not capable. It will be a challenge for Canberra to treat the game with the same intensity as they did Parramatta. The Titans have been as bad as any team in recent memory through the first five weeks of the competition.

Papa has said how important the veterans were for keeping everyone level following the Sharks game. They’ll need a similar calm here. As we noted in the Review, this is the kind of game that they’ve struggled with in the past. In a competition that is flatter than than Mitch Hedberg’s delivery these games cannot be taken for granted. The Titans have talent, it’s just abjectly misdirected. Given the swings and roundabouts of form this season for much of the middle, would it surprise you if *this* was the week they decided to put it together? The Raiders must be prepared. They need the two points.

It’s possible we’ve prematurely ascribed a new maturity to the team this year. This is an opportunity to prove our faith is warranted. It’s a tougher weeks than it seems. It’s time to get to work.

Do us a solid and like our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or share this on social media and believe in the future with me. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.