BY DAN

The Canberra Raiders response to their twin losses to the Wahs and Dogs has been largely as expected. With Josh Papalii out due to the match review committee’s intervention, the only change has to reinforce the middle with a carbon Joe Roddy.

Most – including these pages – had expected Matt Timoko to get a recall to sit on the bench, allowing Coach Stuart to shift Simi Sasagi out of centre and into the middle late in the match. This approach has not been chosen, probably because Sasagi’s form on the edge has been impressive, and Timoko has found excelling in an inconsistent Cup outfit difficult. The effectiveness of the Sharks edge attack, and Sasagi’s impressive defensive efforts so far, may be enough to make this decision easy.

That is not to suggest Joey two-tries playing as a mobile thirteen is a ‘de-fault, the two sweetest words in the English language’ situation. Rather Roddy is likely there to solve two problems the Raiders have had this year – defensive control of the ruck and the ability to link passes across the middle. Roddy is a stout tackler, and has more motor than an enthusiastic boat. With Morgan Smithies and Horsburgh starting, he (and Zac Hosking) may be critical to the Milk maintaining defensive control of the game through the middle forty. Stick is placing a lot of trust in this animate carbon Roddy.

He is also additive in attack. He won’t be bending the line in hit-ups, but will provide an important support runner, and critical linkage passing through the middle of the pack. Canberra haven’t necessarily not found that connection so far this season, but it’s been inconsistent. At times Joey Tapine has provided it, at others it’s been Morgan Smithies, Corey Horsburgh and Zac Hosking. But it’s never felt consistent.

The nature of the game in Vlando’s possession ball, and the rain, has made side-to-side connection less important. But when Canberra has moved the ball it’s lacked cohesion and smoothness. The bigger contributor to that is the cohesion that only comes with time and patience for a young side rebuilding structures after its fulcrum left in the offseason. But having another person that can smooth the passage across the park is only going to help.

The rest of the side is as expected, with Tom Starling returning from the burner/”Coach’s decision”/slip into the Bermuda triangle that kept him out of the second half of the Dogs game. Stick is sticking fast to the people he thinks are his best 19 to get them out of this rut they’ve found themselves in.

How long that lasts will depend on the outcome of this weekend. 2 and 2 is a very different feeling to 1 and 3, and Stick has highlighted who he thinks can come into this team in his 20-22 of the team list. The 19 are on notice. Owen Pattie, Matt Timoko and Chev Stuart (Emma we did it!) all have the experience and capability to play first grade, though all would require a bit of roster shenanigans to get them in the team.

That’s not happening this weekend (knocks on wood…sorta?). Canberra have had two weeks playing in a leaky boat, and they’ll need to be more than lucky to keep afloat. The Sharks are desperate too, and also being patient with their team list. This isn’t the season here, but if the Raiders are going to be winners, it would be nice to start showing it.

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