BY DAN

After last week’s performance you could have been forgiven for expecting greater change was coming to the Canberra Raiders. Instead Coach Stuart has stuck fast, reflecting the trust he has in what has been built. But how much longer will the ‘low-floor but also low-ceiling’ range be tolerated?

Zac Woolford is cunning and the Raiders need that right now. We’ve noted their attack has been sputtering at times, and they desperately need something that might add a bit more variety to their work. Tom Starling’s unfortunate head injury has provided a pathway for that to occur. Woolford will add more marker manipulation and potentially more width in their service from the ruck. His minutes will be limited – Danny Levi remains the starter and the preferred operator at the position, but for the first time all season the Raiders have access to a bit of variability in their schema. That’s to be applauded.

Noted workhorse Corey Horsburgh won’t be in the team this week. He not only missed out on the 17 but also on the wider 22. Given he played 66 productive minutes in NSW Cup last week many of us, like me, had assumed it was a fait accompli that he would find his way into the wider squad (at the very least) this week. Alas he has not, and is instead playing in the reggies again.

Instead it’s a ‘minimum viable’ level of changes. Woolford is obvious. Literally one in, one out, next in the depth chart. Horse misses out, presumably a mix of wanting to be certain his spasmodic start to 2024 is put behind him and through wanting to show everyone else he needs to earn it. I also wonder if Stuart is also comfortable not rushing Horsburgh back because of his repeated emphasis on the horizon rather than the immediate. He is one coach who has the security to be patient with star players. A week ago he was lamenting not having enough rep players. Now he’s keeping one in reserve grade.

It’s a shame because the club could use someone that could do what Horsburgh does, just as they need what Woolford provides. Both bring width sorely lacking, a point of difference in attack desperately needed. Horsburgh’s ability to play big minutes would also be helpful in ensuring that Morgan Smithies’ light doesn’t continue to dim in the dark of the Canberra winter. It would ensure about as close to ‘full-strength’ side that can be found until after the third bye when Fogarty and Hosking return.

For now Stuart is trusting what he has built. It seems while many of us are clamouring for change he is more patient. I think this is probably a good thing even if I don’t necessary with the result it’s given this week. One bad loss doesn’t mean abandon ship, even if it’s not really one bad loss, but an ongoing change in the range of potential outcomes.

Canberra do need to show there is more to them than they did last week. Redemption is offered to the current squad. But if another outing like last week follows then perhaps more change will come.

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