BY DAN

A stunning outcome from Canberra’s impressive victory over the Penrith Panthers on Friday night was the realisation that there is still room for improvement.

Even Stick agreed, suggesting in the post game that he didn’t like some of the attacking options, and that we struggled to find our ‘second wind’ coming off the bye. It’s hard to tell how much of that is his favourite fragrance Obstinance, for men (you gotta whisper it), and how much was brutal honesty.

Not being fully formed 25 rounds into the season would be a cause for concern for most clubs. For the Raiders, however, it’s a weapon. Each week they are marked on a different gradient, a different bell-curve, which demands perfection in order to compensate for the flaws of previous iterations. Those pre-cooked views, particularly from the wider rugby league commentariat, have led people to underestimate this team’s potential.

Each week they reveal another glimpse of what’s possible. Ethan Strange seems to go from strength to strength. Between his maturation and the system’s increasing effectiveness, he’s finding smarter ways to insert himself into the attack. Canberra are patient in how they use him. As noted in the review, it took nearly twenty minutes in each half before the Raiders really pushed the ball to the edges. But when they did, they made one of the best defences in modern history look human.

The Raiders also got extended minutes out of Owen Pattie at hooker, and it mattered. Twenty-eight minutes was a substantial load, especially in a tight game against elite opposition. He didn’t look out of place, and his ability to generate width from dummy-half, combined with sharp darts through the middle, gives Canberra another dimension. It’s not quite a secret weapon, but it’s another look in a team full of them.

Canberra also couldn’t deploy their high-paced middle rotation. Recently, they’ve used Zac Hosking in the middle with great effect, which requires another backrower to cover his edge spot. On Friday, they lost that option after Simi Sasagi shifted to centre to replace Xavier Savage. In a way, that was a weapon in itself. Most sides don’t have the luxury of losing an outside back and still fielding such an able replacement. Canberra do. But in a perfect world, that flexibility would be used to move Hosking’s pace into the middle.

That opportunity will come again soon. Matty Nicholson played Cup on the weekend. He looked exhausted in his fifty-odd minutes, but as he regains fitness, his return to first grade becomes more likely. That would allow Canberra to carry Sasagi as a utility while still unlocking Hosking’s impact in the middle. It’s been nearly twelve weeks since they’ve been able to deploy that advantage, but it’s coming – though we note he’s not been named in first grade OR cup this week.

It will be even more potent with the return of Savelio Tamale, potentially as early as next week. That’s timely, given Xavier Savage’s season-ending injury. Tamale brings a powerful yardage game. For perspective: he’s run for almost as many metres in 14 games this year as Savage had in 21. And Savage is no slouch in that department.

Tamale offers more than just metres, but this aspect is crucial. Early in the year it not only gave the middles breathing room but also amplified Hosking’s effect. Hosking is a superb defender, but his attacking value comes when the ruck is fractured — not when he’s doing the grunt work himself. Tamale’s carries crack the line; Hosking’s pace exploits the damage.

Of course, there are moments Canberra still need to sharpen. Jamal Fogarty missed a makeable conversion, and both he and Kaeo Weekes failed with field goal attempts that would have sealed the game. Hudson Young took an unnecessary risk when Canberra were setting up for a shot. And they couldn’t turn a kick-off penalty into a decent attempt when they absolutely had to.

These moments are both massive and small. Finals success comes from making the right decision more often than the opposition. The only way to improve is to experience those high-pressure moments and learn from them. Like Friday. Getting it right once — even if messy — builds confidence and gives players space to reflect without the media branding them with words that rhyme with “pokers.”

The sky is the limit for this team. It’s remarkable that you can beat both presumptive premiership favourites, sit a game clear on top of the ladder, and still have scope to sharpen your edge. But that’s your 2025 Canberra Raiders.

Sign up the mailing list because the algorithm hates the Milk as much as the Sydney press. Also like our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or share this on social media and believe in the future with me. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.