BY DAN

The Raiders, by all appearances, appear to be back on track. They’ve got their maestro Fogarty back, and with him has come a wave of confidence that they might actually be capable of playing rugba leeg for the remainder of 2024.

Luckily for the Raiders this isn’t one of those games that Canberra fans currently have a superstitious fear of- ok, I lie, it’s chock full of portentous omens. Strong chance of the white jersey appearing, playing away to a top 8 side and that little tidbit about it being some guy’s milestone game or something.

It feels like a lifetime since we watched a young Josh Papali’i stick it to Paul Gallen in that classic Raiders vs Sharks semifinal at Canberra stadium. We’ve watched him grow not just as a player but as a member of the local Canberra community. He’s achieved everything possible in this sport, with the exception of that all elusive premiership. In the early years his form would occasionally oscillate as he grappled with the transition from a young man playing footy to a young father playing footy, along with increasing rep duties, and then into the elder statesman role that he now occupies alongside fellow prop Joe Tapine.

If one thought that all the transformations of Big Papa occurred earlier in career they’d be wrong – 2024 is as much a year of reinvention as it is a celebration of our beloved big guy. Aware that he was entering the twilight of his time in footy Papa took upon himself to shed some weight, engaging in a proper pre-season regimen for the first time in many seasons. The move has paid dividends – the newer, lighter Papa has more gas in the tank, a bit more crunch in contact, and the lower weight must certainly be a mercy for his knees.

The Raiders have resisted the milestone hubris of last season’s efforts to get Jarrod Croker to the big game in front of a home crowd. Papa probably wouldn’t agree to sit out anyway, and so the Raiders will have a full strength squad for their match at Belmore.

Canberra just scraped past the Bulldogs back in Magic round and it’s fair to say that the Berries have had the better run since that encounter (3-5 for the Raiders, 6-2 for the Bulldogs). The Dogs play a much different game to the Green Machine, using the likes of Kikau, Preston and Crichton to pry open opposing teams edge defences. Canberra need to be wary of those shifts early in the tackle count, or they’ll quickly discover who let the Dogs out.

Changes

Sticky’s extended squad remains unchanged from last week, and if everything goes smoothly then it should be the same 17 that saw off Souths who take the field this coming Sunday.

The Opposition

The Bulldogs are easily the best choice for “Most Improved” in 2024. After years of big spending, high turnover and little success they’ve finally found a roster and a formula that works for them. They’ll be brimming with confidence after thumping the Broncos at Suncorp last week and the Raiders will need to be at their very best if they wish to come out on top.

Match-ups

Jamal Fogarty vs Matt Burton

This is it folks – the battle of the Bomb Kings. J-Fog’s swirling floaters against Burton’s corkscrew torpedoes, each an absolute nightmare for backline players to defuse. With both teams set to go high whoever can back their kicking game with tough defence will have an advantage.

Tom Starling vs Reed Mahoney

Starling is currently in something of a purple sector (F1 parlance), having wrested the starting hooker spot from Levi. What he lacks in crisp passing he more than makes up for with shrewd running and stout defence. Mahoney is the ultimate pest, scrapping and digging for any and every advantage he can find – the Raiders need to avoid getting dragged into his web of pestiness.

Rookie Radar

Round 10, 2011

In Conclusion

It’s one of the tougher assignments the Raiders will face this year. Expect Papa to have a standout game as he lays it all on the line for the Green Machine. Up the Milk!

Raiders by 13+!

Rob is the best human I know so you should follow him on Twitter here. Or you can do us a solid and like our page on Facebook, or share this on social media. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.