BY DAN

It’s the day after and the birds chirp. Waking up doesn’t feel too difficult. Being up just means more time to think about the Canberra Raiders being the minor premiers. Drink it in. Read the things. Listen to the pods when they come. This is the good time to be a fan. The residual warmth will sustain you.

Some nerds will tell you this doesn’t matter. But say the words “the Canberra Raiders are minor premiers” and try not to have feelings. Yesterday, hungover, I had a near existential moment when I said it to my partner. I was a literal child when that last happened, desperate for Geoff Marsh to stay in the test team, hopeful Gary Belcher and his stache-up footy would again help the Raiders to the premiership. They say to be the adult your younger self needed. This Canberra Raiders team is looking out for little Sportress.

Being a fan is easy. The team now has to turn their mind to the actual challenge of winning a premiership. I don’t need to tell you how much that would matter. You’re here, obsessing with me. The Sportress readership is a small but hardy breed. We’ve been through a lot over the years. If the Raiders managed to win a premiership…I dunno man. What a thought.

The next steps towards a premiership are pretty straightforward. First is rest. Coach Stuart has already alluded to big decisions being made about player loads come round 27. I doubt it will be the mass naps that the Panthers conducted Thursday night, but it will be significant. Kaeo Weekes is already ruled out. Hudson Young’s osteitis pubis will almost certainly get a week off. Tom Starling’s workload demands a spell. Given the NRL-level depth the Raiders have running around on the bench and in NSW Cup, it would make sense to get him one.

Those three at a minimum should get a break. The team may also be keen to stand-down Seb Kris again. I’ve seen reports he was out with hamstring tightness. That sounds precautionary, but hamstrings can be a fickle beast, so I wouldn’t be against a risk-averse approach. After that I would guess Joey Taps and Josh Papalii do not need to play. Similarly Jamal Fogarty, and perhaps Ethan Strange or Kaeo Weekes could take a week off. I’m sure Ethan Sanders, Chevy Stewart and Adam Cook would love a run. I’d also rest Zac Hosking. His workload, and shifting responsibilities, are more than people realise.

That’s about half the side. Not quite 16 people but still noteworthy. But some people will play more. Savelio Tamale warmed into the game on Saturday and needs more minutes. Matty Nicholson got through minutes in Cup and looked way less cooked than the week prior. Noah Martin and Owen Pattie would both benefit from getting 50 odd minutes of first grade.

If the gamblor odds are anything to go by, the ‘Phins favouritism next week suggests most consider it likely the Raiders will go heavy in resting. This isn’t a risk free enterprise. Mass resting and then a home final mean that, should they get there the easy way, Canberra will have only played one game in the three weeks leading up to a preliminary final. But if that’s the worst outcome of the best-case scenario then life is grand, life is good, life is floating, man.

There are much more difficult paths. The Broncos have to beat Melbourne, with Jahrome Hughes back on deck, to make the top four lest they get caught in the mess of the bottom four. They’ll be fighting the Wahs (at Manly) and the Sharks (at the Dogs) for the last spot in the top four. The loser gets week one with the ‘Riff. You may have a preference for the Milk to play (it’s the Wahs, obviously) but Canberra should fancy themselves in all battles.

That’s a problem for after next week though. For now enjoy the mini-coronation. The Canberra Raiders have earned it.

Do us a further solid and like our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or share this on social media because it keeps me googling productive things. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.