BY DAN

The Canberra Raiders 33-14 loss to the Wests Tigers was the inevitable collapse of a distressed entity. The Raiders railed against a predicament that had been created in the week before. But there were simply too many parts missing, and when more resources were sapped, all the Milk could do was hold on. It wasn’t enough.

We all knew the task before the game even began. No Huddo, no Papa and no Sasagi robbed the Raiders of not just talented footballers but also of their depth, and their flexibility. Further injuries to Ethan Strange and Noah Martin just exacerbated the problem. In the end all that was left was the hope that some mix of belief and magic would cover the gap. Unfortunately, it’s not going to be that kind of year.

Winning this game was always going to be a question of whether the Raiders could find a way to match the Tigers’ overwhelming power advantage. There were too many big men on one side, and not enough in green. Could they use smoke and mirrors to mask the problem? It turns out no.

They did their best. There was no question of effort in this game, nor commitment. They came into the game already shorthanded, but an impossible task became mythological as more players got hurt, more problems were created, and the Raiders were left solving problems like renters trying to hide damage with plants and lighting. It was almost admirable in the audacity to believe in the possibility that their solutions could cover the gap.

And it was determinative. When they could compete on even footing in the middle they were competitive. Forget winning the middle, when they kept it to an even battle, they could thrive. 14-10 at halftime wasn’t an accident, their best moments driven by disciplined footy played in straight lines between the tram-tracks. But that was time-limited, and in the second half the scaffolding that had held them up ran out of steam – first when Martin succumbed to injury, and second as Corey Horsburgh and Morgan Smithies tired.

With Martin watching as Roddy filled his role, there was no one else to man the middle. Canberra spent much of the second half playing with an undersized pack, with some mix of Jayden Brailey, Tom Starling, and Daine Laurie trying to defend against Fonua Pole, Terrell May, or Alex Twal. The outcome was obvious. No Canberra middle or forward cracked 100 metres. Terrell May had 200 on his own. The Raiders were outgained by 400 metres. It was chaos in the engine room, and it got worse the longer the game went. Where would they have been without Savelio Tamale’s 240 metres?

That’s not shame on those players. Daine Laurie or Tom Starling at thirteen is a great idea in a pinch, something to throw out to end loose games or as a suck-it-and-see vibe. But this was an entire half, hoping that the massive Tigers’ pack simply ignored the fact there was 100 per cent more people they could run at in the middle of the park that weighed less than an angry sack of potatoes.

This strain on the middle was passed on to the edges like your favourite contagion (H1N1? Or what about Ebola? We all have our favourites). People were asked to solve problems they couldn’t. Players were left staring at the Tigers attack like it was a magic eye they couldn’t get the read on (it was a boat, duh). There was simply too much, too often, and five tries resulted.

One came from Matt Timoko being asked to solve questions he’s not qualified to answer. He tied too close to Strange, took the same man and a try resulted. Seb Kris turned his back on a shift and Adam Doueihi outmuscled Ethan Sanders. Strange was left to make a critical tackle on Royce Hunt and didn’t get a clean hit or any help. That the other two tries came from a fortuitous bounce and a series of miracle balls simply underscored how far it was from being the Raiders’ evening.

None of these were problems created by the final sin. It was a culmination of fates, of problems, or ongoing weakening and exhaustion the team has felt trying to right the ship in recent weeks. The further weakening, caused by first the absence of Strange, and then of Martin, only underscored the challenge. Canberra didn’t shy away from what they had to achieve. They failed all the same. It was only compounded by untimely errors that allowed the Tigers to march the ground even on occasions where their middle couldn’t. Two tries came from kicks. At some point Canberra will have to work that out. At least Sav had it under control.

It’s a shame because on another night, with some actual middle support, the Raiders could have matched their opposition. They were up 14-10 at halftime. This was on the back of a host of things. The sin-binning of Api Koroisau helped. The propensity to not panic against twelve men was another. Canberra played straight, they played tough, and they took advantage of the fact that short of men, they could do for a short period what their opposition was able to do for an entire game.

Matt Timoko scored by asking the Tigers’ middle to make another tackle. Kaeo Weekes took the ball at second receiver and asked similar questions. With a bit more ball, better position, and a side less cooked from trying to hold its structure like a long game of Jenga, the Raiders could have won. But that wasn’t this night. And despite ignoring him for too much of the game after his return from injury (either by fault or through caution), the Milk finally gave Strange some good ball and he made things happen. If only they’d played that card when the game was still alive.

This was a thing to watch that sustained a warm heart. Despite no creativity in the ruck, no space created by a powerful middle, the Milk still created two tries, and five line breaks which should have resulted in more points than it did. Strange continues to look dangerous. Sanders and Weekes are forming a combination on the left, though not perfect, that can really make an impact. There’s something swishing around in this pool of talent, and if it clicks at some point the results could be amazing. But instead we get this tepid mix of hope and frustration.

It was forlorn, and it was depressing. Canberra were a wounded animal, bleeding, and still lashing out trying to find an advantage, fight against a game they were too stubborn, too hopeful, to realise was long gone. They gnawed and gnarled and barked. But the trap they stood in when Papa and Huddo missed this game proved mortal.

A long break to the next game will be welcome, but won’t necessarily solve this problem. I’m no doctor but I doubt Noah Martin is ready for the next game. With him, Hudson Young, and Matty Nicholson, all watching from the sidelines, any squeamishness at Simi Sasagi playing in the backrow will have to be dispensed for a week, should he be healthy. Joe Roddy did his job in defence on the edge, but he’ll also be needed to reinforce the middle. Maybe this is what gets Jake Clydsdale a run in first grade? Canberra need some power.

They also need to find a way to play smart footy for an entire game. This is the thing. Each week we watch and the Raiders have good periods but not great games. They are giving free ball, easy space, and too much opportunity. They are not a team without experience, but they are inconsistent like young teams are. If we can be patient, and they can somehow win enough games that their belief is not sapped, this may be a team of August and September. As it is now, they’re just a fading April sun.

More than power they need a solution. It’s not quite season on the line but it’s getting close. The Raiders have been tormented by their circumstances this season but that’s only succour for cowards and sycophants. Winning is all that matters, and to do that they need more bodies in the pack, and more solutions, and consistency, in their kit-bag. Or maybe Owen Pattie. A man can dream.

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