BY DAN
What a time to be a Canberra Raiders fan.
Here we are with hope and glory of heaven promised to us in the coming years, and in the meantime we’re still waltzing in Hell and stealing Satan’s underpants right from his body, just to make us feel alive.
Somehow the Milk are in equal 4th (with a negative flippin’ points differential). They’ve lost multiple critical players to long-term injuries, failed to score a single point in a game, given up an 18 point lead in another, and somehow it’s been a good season.
Well, half a season. This is a natural point to stop, take a breath, and check in with everyone. Just what’s doing Canberra fans? How are we feeling?
Dear The Sportress, do you agree that Jordan Rapana?
– Harry S
Not only do I agree Harry, I believe like the men that followed Moses through the Red sea.
The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the Earth. How can this be true when Jordan Rapana is immortal?
People may think you’re being hyperbolic here Brenton but we actually have long had scientific proof that Jordan Rapana is immortal, to whit there can be only one. One Jordan Rapana, one highlander. Jordan Rapana is highlander, and after Saturday he’s capable of reading the thoughts and feelings of all people and encouraging cooperation, understanding and peace among humanity.
How much would Maguire be wishing that Rapana was NSW eligible? Also, how many weeks are we going to have to get used to CRASH BALL!! for?
As a Queensland supporter (not a Queenslander though, important distinction) I think I would be terrified if Rapa was dressed up in blue and standing on that Origin field. I don’t think there’s ever been a person on earth more suited to the environment. He’d take to a decider at Lang Park like it was the back nine at Yowani.
Do you believe the hate against Rapa is simply because those people are jealous of his skill and courage?
-Tony M
Tony there is definitely a bit of that. Rapa is courageous and he is skilled. People are jealous because he lives life the way we all wished we could. Pedal to the floor, damn the consequences. He is the personification of every bro meme you’ve ever seen. Get rich or die trying. Live the six inches in front of your face. Be the wolf willing to do what is right (kick two field goals) because it’s what the world needs, not what people expect you to do.
But there’s also a good chunk of John Bateman in this. Think back to him in a green jersey. Remember how handsome he looked? How fun it was when he punked the Titans in his first game? How great it was to have him on our team? I loved that man with all my heart. His shimmy drove the people of Canberra wild.
Now think about how gross he is in a Tigers outfit. A coward. A pest. An entirely unserious person incapable of adhering to the rules or helping a team win. I hate the man and his shimmy makes the people of Canberra want to puke.
Disgusting.
Ok let’s get to ‘airing of grievances’ section.
Does Danny Levi have some sort of dirt on Ricky?
-Andrew B
I’ve long accepted that Danny Levi is the proof that for all I watch the game I will never understand it like a professional. I see a man who’s passing is on the low-side of adequate, who’s defence is occasionally good but mostly poor, and who’s first instinct is that he’s the best player on the field. In my mind the Raiders have better defenders at 9 (Starling), better passers (Trevilyan), better ruck manipulators (Woolford).
I say that because evidently all of the above is wrong. The club must see him differently, a Wade Egan style ruck manipulator who is good enough to be one of the mainstays in a team full of promises. Given Ricky Stuart is not capable of someone having dirt on him (unless it’s a little dirt under his pillow for the dirt man) then I can only assume we’re all wrong. Right?
Can Canberra get more out the hooker spot…I feel Levi + Starling only adds up to a 6 out of 10.
This is the bind Canberra is in. Each player they have at 9 has their charms but none is a complete package. The Raiders can definitely get more out of that spot. I just don’t know if they think they can do it from the four on their roster.
If you were an nrl hooker for the raiders, would you put any effort into working on your service from dummy half?
This is a criticism directed at both first-string rakes, but one for me that is most pointed for Thomas Starling. When his ascendance led to the club pushing Josh Hodgson aside our hope had always been that there would be a passing game to come with the dynamic running and powerful defence. That’s never come. Tommy is clearly working on his game – he’s improved his ruck manipulation and deception of out sight in recent years. But still passes are slow, behind the first receiver and short.
We have got the plan sorted for the rest of our spine but, what is the long term plan at dummy half/hooker? Where does the club see Adrian Trevilyan in its future? What is his contract situation?
-Rick T
And Rick, this is the problem. The plan to this point had been to collect rakes like Sideshow Bob. But four imperfect parts (or at least, parts the club seems to think are imperfect) doesn’t make a whole in this regard.
Adrian Trevilyan’s biggest challenge has been his body in recent years. It’s why he’s on a supplemental deal this year (as opposed to a top 30 roster spot). That deal expires at the end of this year, and like we did last year, we’ll be counting down the days until the 2025 top 30 is announced and hoping that it includes Adrian.
If it doesn’t, and Zac Woolford leaves to play hooker in first grade somewhere else, that plan is whittled down to Levi and Starling. That plan has about as much long-term sustainability as shock and awe.
Will we be stranded on Levi island?
-Richard P
Well it does seem the club has made the investment. They’re building huts, trying to spear fish, looking for firewood. They’re assembling a freaking aqueduct. It’s not so much whether we’ll be stranded. We’re there Richard. Better pour yourself a cocktail while we wait for the tide to offer something else.
How do we get Puru into our 17 moving forward? Or is this a question for 2025?
Ah yes, my other obsession. I think getting Puru into the top line is as likely as Danny Levi leaving. Decisions have been made for this year. It seems like Puru is next gen, waiting for an opportunity behind other middles like Trey Mooney before him.
And that’s a problem. Here’s the thing. Puru’s position in Canberra for 2025 is not certain. His deal for that year is a mutual option that hasn’t been picked up yet. I think the club is committed to him; at least that’s my interpretation of the honour of being named captain of the reggies. But I presume he wants minutes in the top line. Canberra just lucked out when Trey Mooney trusted them. Going again feels like splitting 10s. So I’m not certain Canberra can afford to wait for 2025 to find out about Puru.
I don’t like that answer.
Raiders in Vegas: yay or nay? It’ll been great for exposure (especially at the home of the NFL Raiders), but the travel and preparation involved may hurt us if we start the season slowly.
Andrew I’ve got more coming on this later in the week but you’re right to say the interest is a business decision, nothing more, nothing less.
We used to have these big fade-outs where we’d blow a lead (I remember 2018 and I shudder). However, the last couple of years we’ve been better at hanging on and finding a way to win. What, if anything, do you think has changed?
I love this question. This has always been about weighing variance against culture. Is the fact the Raiders lost a heap of close ones, and then didn’t, just a function of reversion to the mean? Or was the mindset of the club different in 2018 to 2023 and 2024.
If I had to choose I’d be a real pain and say it’s a mix. With the Raiders variance sure does matter but I think it’s undeniable that they like continue on their trajectory no matter what. In the seasons that things are going bad they seem unable to conceive they can go well. When they are winning they just assume they’ll find a way. It’s not scientific (hot hand be damned!). It’s more vibes. This club is built on vibes.
After the ruinous Matt Elliott/ Robert Finch/ Kevin Neil years, do you agree that only those who have actually played for the Raiders should ever be appointed as head coach?
Rob, first off I love this question because I think you’ve tapped into something of an informal rule, a convention, a heuristic, an ontology if you will, that the club has adhered to over time. It’s become a well-worn refrain over Stick’s time with the club. He ‘gets’ Canberra.
I actually don’t agree with limiting yourself like this. I’m a big proponent that coaching and playing are pretty different skill sets. Some very good players have been good coaches. Some people who never made it have been too. Picking one and excluding the other reduces the pool available. In that vein I think Canberra may have two coaches in their system with great potential. Neither Justin Giteau nor Brock Shepperd ever made it as footballers but they seem to be important to Canberra success in their relative roles.
I do think though there is a colour of truth to what you were pointing to. Canberra is a unique sporting environment and it’s not a place where you can succeed by doing the same things other people do. You can’t run the Raiders like St George or Canterbury, living from the star run-off forced out by the salary cap. Canberra plays different. It looks in different places. There’s a different set of causes and effects in the nation’s capital, and you need to understand that if you want to succeed there.
Does that mean you have to have played for the club at the highest level to succeed there? Of course not. But you have to understand why it would help.
When will they start selling NRLW raiders jerseys? You can only buy men’s jerseys in women fit sizes. I’d like to own both official jerseys.
-Aunty Jen
Aunty Jen this is an important question. Last year I was too slow on the uptake and missed out on an NRLW jersey. I ended up getting a warm up top. It’s lovely, but I want the jersey! Bring it back!
Where can we secure a tonne of sage to clear the bad juju that we’ve had for the past 12-18 months regarding milestone games and alternative jerseys?
-Jasper R
Is it bad juju or bad preparation? The jersey thing has to be juju. There’s no sane explanation for why the colour of your jersey would impact your performance in such a weird manner. So Jasper my man, light the sage. Toss the salt. Pour out some liquor.
But the milestone games are a different beast. Look I dunno. It’s a bit spurious. A bit hard to prove. There every chance it is just variance, random noise and chaos. And it depends on the milestone right? Does 50 games count? Does 150? Is it ridiculous to think that the Milk lose their mind in the lead up to these games? Spend too much time celebrating and lauding that they forget to prepare? It speaks to a mindset that gets caught up outside the game, which we obviously can’t prove and can only speculate.
To be honest I blame us a bit. The crowd was loud when Toots came out on to the ground for his 300th last year. Then it was quiet. Why are we quiet? Shout random noise people. It helps.
What’s the future for Weekes and/or Strange when Fogg comes back?
-Bill M
What a wonderful problem to have.
Let’s start with obvious. Ethan Strange is our starting six for the foreseeable future. Don’t overthink this. He’s a unique talent. He’s still a teenager. He wants to be a six. He’s got the ability to be an elite one. This isn’t so much a gift as salvation. Don’t get cute and try and push him to centre to fit other people in. He is a six. You can find centres at the dollar store.
Fog comes back and goes into his starting role. Again, don’t overthink this. Don’t view the last few weeks with rose coloured glasses. Winning is tops but without Fogarty it has been much more difficult than it was earlier in the year. He was in career form before his injury. If the Raiders are going to be a big deal in the next 18 months he’s going to be in the line-up.
But here’s the thing. The asking of it is indicative of the impressive effort that Kaeo Weekes has shown in his return to first grade. His kicking has improved out of sight. His ball play at the line has been quality in limited opportunities. As much as anyone can herd these cats, he’s done his best to. He’s clearly a first grader.
Is there a role that he could fit into for the club? Many will push him to fullback as a bridge from Rapana to Stewart but I’m not convinced the club puts a roadblock between Chevy and first grade. There’s an increasing argument for carrying a utility back on the bench and given how many positions Kaeo can cover that would be a good use of him. That may require a different bench make up (maybe swapping Tommy out for Puru to play 9/13 rotation) but man if Kaeo keeps playing like this it’s an enticing thought.
In the longer term it becomes murkier. Ethan Sanders becomes Fogarty’s backup next year. Chevy is the lead candidate to take over from Rapa if he retires. Whether Kaeo sticks around seems more tied up in whether he wants to stay as a backup. He’s shown he’s good enough for first grade. Someone else will give him a shot. There’s six or seven teams who would love him right now.
Dan. The Canberra Raiders are, as you say, a pack of lunatics. Why? @_lbuckmaster
I’m glad we ended here.
The Canberra Raiders are undoubtedly lunatics. There are clear ways to win games – defend stoutly, make smart decisions with the ball, don’t give away infringements at critical times. If given a free set of six on your oppositions goal line don’t waste it unable to get further than one pass wide of the ruck. Canberra eschews all these processes. It sees your desire for the well-worn ways and takes the road less travelled.
They do this because the Canberra Raiders are the masses yearning to breathe in a world hamstrung by convention. They see the old ways. The tried and true ways. They are not beholden to them. They are innovators; winning games because 34 year old wingers become halfbacks, because Josh Papalii’s mane is more myth than man. Because Xavier Savage went from being broken by lines to busting them like he’s made of marble.
But also because Jordan Rapana.
Sorry it took us so long to finish that. Thanks as always to the legends that passed on questions. For those that didn’t you can say thanks to them by following the page on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or share this on social media. Don’t hesitate to send feedback (or more questions!) to dan@sportress.org or comment below.
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