BY DAN

How does it keep getting harder?

*ahem*

The Canberra Raiders are collecting obstacles like they’re getting 10 cents on recycling. As their available playing group dwindles to a size resembling a corgi with an attitude, they are searching far and wide for solutions.

Jordan Uta is the latest winner of The Rookie – Canberra Raiders edition. He’s been long earmarked to be part of the side in the future, but there’s no pretense that the club had intended he’d play this season. We covered his role here, but whether he supports the middle or plays minutes on the edge, he’s been chosen because the Raiders are simply out of players.

Xavier Savage also makes a surprise return, and it’s welcome for several reasons. The Raiders could use his pace, but also his work in yardage. His replacement, Jed Stuart, hasn’t let anyone down on either front but Savage brings a higher ceiling in both. If Canberra are going to squeeze out wins while they wait for reinforcements, the home-run hitting of Savage will help maximise the points they can get on the board.

It will also increase the rest Joey Tapine, Corey Horsburgh and Morgan Smithies will get. These middles will have to do a mountain of defensive work. Good yardage means fewer long marches to get back onside, and also fewer carries just to get the ball back into the attacking zone.

It’ll also free Jed Stuart up to what we’d always considered his natural state – end-of-bench utility. He can provide cover if needed to most of the back five, and potentially even the backrow if you’re really desperate. Like “I’m willing to eat servo station sushi” desperate. It just means the Raiders have an actual solution on their bench instead of another hooker. Shaun Packer will rue his chances.

In terms of what was already there, you’ve got people playing out of position (Ata Mariota and Jayden Brailey) and hopefully piecing together another respectable effort. You’ve got more Daine Laurie hopefully doing the job he was born to do (be good for a few weeks but not a whole season) and hey, maybe he’ll fulfil Lobby from the Green Machine Podcast’s prophecy that he would win Canberra a game this season. Ethan Sanders will get another week to be dominant on the ball, and Kaeo Weekes will get another week to take a bigger role in the offence.

And then it’s hope. Hope that the corner the ‘Phins seem to have turned recently doesn’t travel. Hope that’ it’s proper cold Thursday night (7 Canberra degrees is like 1 Queensland degree right?). Hope that Kulikefu Finefeuiaki manages his way into the Queensland game day 19 after a series of misfortunes befall Trent Loiero. Hope that Vlando does one more rule tweak and Herbie Farnworth also gets a call up to Origin, or that someone Moe Szyslak’s his knees.

Canberra can win this game. The Raiders middle, and their yardage backs, can punch a hole in a Redcliffe middle missing some of their best defenders, allowing Weekes and Laurie to run riot off the back of offloads and opportunities in the middle. In Max Plath’s absence, an aggressive defence can make it hard for less talented players to be the link that allows Isaiya Katoa to attack the edge two passes wide of the ruck. Ethan Sanders and Owen Pattie can make sure the kicking game makes the life of the forward pack as easy as possible.

Look, I’m squinting and hoping because the last few weeks this side hasn’t been battling its demons but the anger and small hearts of the gods. While we wait for someone to get Kratos on the case, Canberra will have to take fortune into their own hands.

In conclusion.

Get crazy, baby.

Raiders by 2.

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