BY DAN

The Canberra Raiders, a team with no definitive starting hooker, reportedly gave a big ‘not interested’ to signing NSW Representative Reece Robson. On face value a baffling position that leads on searching for reasons. So just why are the Raiders so picky?

For starters it takes a brave man to accept this version of facts as the truth. Let’s be clear on what those facts are. Robson was ‘shopped’ so to speak by his management, and identified Sticky as a coach he’d be willing to play for. Canberra allegedly said ‘not interested’, and so Robson signed with the Roosters.

It takes an accepting person to believe that this was a serious offer to Canberra. The starting hooker for the NSW Blues was forced to his ‘backup’ option, the glamour club based in Bondi that will be challenging for a premiership next season, has an opening at hooker and money to burn? He just likes Kingsley’s that much that he was going to choose the rebuilding Raiders over that?

It sounds more to me like this was a brazen attempt at eeking a few extra bucks out of the Roosters by attempting to drum up notional competitors. Instead Canberra refused to play the game. In the post hoc world people are questioning the decision because the Raiders have a desperate need at the position (precisely why Robson’s management tried to drag them into the discussion).

Coach Stuart has played his part in this. Claiming that the Raiders are happy with their current hooking stocks doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. They were in the game for Danny Walker, and were kicking the tires on Cory Paix and Jayden Brailey earlier in the off-season. They’ve made efforts to find a definitive starter. Owen Pattie may well be a star but Sticky isn’t so naive that he’s ready to put all his chips on a teenager. Since when has Stuart turned down the opportunity to push players with competition anyway?

But why the angle? Why say something like we don’t want to put obstacles in front of Owen Pattie when you’ve been rightly trying to do that all off-season. There are a few potential interpretations. Some readers (‘sup Rory) have reached out to note that it could mean the Raiders have already filled position with a player yet to be announced. That would most likely be Danny Walker. That trail has felt cold for a while but stranger things have happened. Time will tell.

I prefer Occams Razor here. It seems more likely to me that Stick, being the obstinate fellow he is, started with a decision and worked back from there. He knew they weren’t going to be in the Robson sweepstakes so declined the opportunity to be used as leverage. But when the reporters came knocking to ask why, he didn’t want to piss of agents by saying he wasn’t going to be part of their games. So he said we’re happy with what we’ve got. It was a similar response when the Roosters were trying to create the roster space to sign Robson (i.e. when they were pushing Brandon Smith out the door). No point helping the competition do their dirty work.

And here we are, with thousands of rugby league fans confused as to why the Raiders would decline an opportunity to sign a rep player at a position they desperately need who is still young enough to be part of their youth movement. My guess it’s because the offer was never serious. Because the Raiders did want to play the game. Because the Milk didn’t want to embarrass the agent for fear of alienating future clients.

It’s not a really satisfying conclusion. It means Canberra are still in the same spot as they were before the Robson discussion started. No closer to a starting nine, all chips in on a future that may or may not eventuate. Man they could use a rep level hooker right now.

Do me a favour and like the page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or share this on social media because I’m like teenage Rick at this point (this is not a dance). Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.

Feature image courtesy of Getty