BY DAN

The Canberra Raiders with a quality dummy-half are like a mule with a spinning wheel. No one knows how he got it, and danged if he knows how to use it.

Canberra region proverb

The Raiders are going to have to work that out quick, because the hype around Owen Pattie is growing and the thirst from fans is exploding. If the club has a plan for Pattie they’re not telling us yet. Perhaps they don’t know. Perhaps they are trying to protect him from additional hype. That might be a mistake.

It’s been a while since the Raiders have had a talent in their system who can play hooker like Owen Pattie. Sure they’re had Josh Hodgson recently, and Tom Starling drew a lot of interest when he came onto the scene in 2020. But Pattie has been earmarked for the last twelve months, before he was even playing NSW Cup, as someone to watch in the future. Such was the talent he possessed it drove the Milk to use his coming as a justification to not get into the race for big names at the position. If you believe what they said, they chose Pattie over incumbent NSW Origin rake Reece Robson.

So you can’t blame people for being excited. The noise around him has been coming like a bushfire in the distance. But fans didn’t start the blaze, and it was flamed by the club as much as the wider rugby league community through statements and decisions like the above.

But we have been a part of it. Acknowledged by the club as well as our eyesight, the Raiders have needed a starting hooker for some time. We’ve all had favourites, and I won’t disparage any of the current or recent former members here, but there’s been a vacuum.. And then in his first nominal game of first grade he looked the goods, and the desire for change, or what’s in the box, was only heightened. Pattie now presents as everything to everyone. He hasn’t made a mistake yet. He hasn’t got flaws yet. He can still be perfect.

He is not. So what to do? Lean into the bit and just roll with the kid? Give him the keys based off a game against a gussied up NSW Cup team? Let’s start with what anyone with a cool head and a mature brain will tell you: it’s important at this stage to keep it in our pants. For many reasons. He’s only played half a season of NSW Cup footy. He’s only 21. Just because we have a admirable hard-working soul and Danny Levi as our first string options doesn’t mean we should sacrifice Owen at the feet of the god’s of expectation and hope. A safe approach would be to give him time. Think a lot. Think of everything we’ve got. For we will still be here tomorrow, but our dreams may not.

The things is, as Ricky Stuart is fond of saying, if they’re physically and mentally ready, then they’re ready. Savage was held back, but Nic Cotric was fast tracked. Ethan Strange was straight into first grade, enabled by a physicality beyond his years. Coach Stuart rolling with youth has been less common than the alternative, but it’s not beyond possible to think he might decide he’s ready. He also might decide he needs more time.

Only I’m not sure why. He looked fine in defence, the hardest thing he’ll have to muster in first grade. Perhaps a little physically challenged, but only because he was making primary contact on dudes who were 120kg. In attack he looked poised, creative and deceptive from the ruck, giving his forwards and halves good ball and the step of space they needed to do great things. He scored twice, and ran well. He even kicked long, something that he’s been exemplary at even through juniors. I’ll be keen to see if his ability to get through defenders is as consistent as it was on Saturday, or if top line defenders can find a way to corral him. What’s clear is he’s already too good for Cup footy.

Is he ready for first grade? Could he manage to be ‘good enough’ in one of the most physically demanding positions across 24 plus games of NRL? Well, that’s a harder question, and one that may take a little while to answer. But I’m not sure we’ll find out with him playing more Cup. Perhaps the shift to a middle forty in the trial game was to suit a role he could fill for the first string team. Perhaps it’s something less strenuous. Perhaps it’s waiting until eight weeks into the year before letting him loose.

I think there needs to be a clear plan for Pattie, potentially one that is communicated effectively to the fan base. If only to cool the noise around him. I can’t help but think of the Xavier Savage experience, in which we, the fanbase, got very excited about a young player bestowed with obvious gifts and equally substantial hype. When there were bumps in 2021 and 2022 the people clamored for the X. The noise built up until Coach Stuart seemingly went against his own plan, it didn’t work out perfectly, and then he infamously said ‘but I’m only a dumb coach’ while complaining about the Savage hype.

There were two lessons there from my perspective. The first is that we can bully Stick into picking certain players if we put our collective minds to it. And second, none of that seemed to help Savage be any more ready to play first grade.

One would assume that a plan exists already and is being communicated to Pattie, as well as with his generational brethren like Ethan Sanders and Savelio Tamale. I’m keen to trust the club on that. If only because it removes the requirement from me to work out what mix of my analysis of Pattie is driven by hope or reality. But if we could get let in on that how he’ll be used it might stop the fan-base getting carried away, and I might be able to take down my shrine. For now.

We’ll get a better idea of what the strategy is when Stick names the second trial team on Tuesday. If the hope is to manage his growth under the radar, then I would expect him to miss out for Thursday’s game, and be held back to play Cup footy through the opening rounds of the competition. That would at least give him some breathing space from the voracious hordes (of which we are definitely a part). But if they think he’s ready, and expect him to fill a role through the middle of the game, then I hope he gets a chance in the trial to make that happen. Clear roles and responsibilities are useful ways to build certainty and clarity for young players.

Whichever way these choose the Raiders may need to let us in on it. If only to keep the hype to a minimum.

Do me a favour and like the page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or share this on social media and I’ll tell you the story of truth, beauty, and a picture of you. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.