BY ROB In the space of 80 minutes Canberra undid all their hard work and obliterated much of the good will generated by their three matches. Unlike the Knights, the Raiders showed up completely unprepared for a physical contest – the Novocastrians smashed through the middle and then pivoted to the Raiders much-maligned right edge. … More Raiders Rumble! Raiders vs Dragons Round 21 Preview
BY DAN The Raiders lost last outing for a bunch of reasons, but nothing hurt more than the abject failure of the right side defence. It served to highlight a weakness of the Raiders all year, and the challenge they face in playing Sam Williams. Sam is a leader, and a cerebral footballer, but he … More A Right Mess
BY DAN In their 34-24 loss to the Newcastle Knights the Canberra Raiders surrendered meekly. After achieving in recent weeks despite their flaws, in this game they fully embraced them, allowing an equally limited opposition to open them up with precision. Despite all they had to play for, Canberra capitulated with little resistance. The season … More Raiders Review: Meek
BY DAN Yesterday it emerged that Curtis Scott would (likely) be leaving the Raiders, almost immediately. We flagged this as a likelihood recently (as did almost everyone else). The team’s circumstances, both in terms of the immediate challenge of this season and the roster structure going forward, made Scott’s departure seemingly inevitable. The report initially … More Goodbye Curtis
BY ROB The Raiders are on the road to redemption. It’s not been a pretty recovery, but three wins straight is better than anything else they’ve managed this year. Their round 19 win over the Eels was the stuff that coaches dream of, a battered side low on stock scrounging up everything they can to … More Raiders Rumble! Raiders vs Knights Round 20 Preview
BY DAN The Canberra Raiders confirmed what we all already knew today, announcing that Elliott Whitehead would be with the club until the end of 2024. For all intents and purposes it seems Whitehead will join Josh Papalii as recent ‘one-club’ Raiders (at least for NRL purposes). It’s fitting recognition of a player whose importance … More The Gap Filler
BY DAN Jordan Rapana was at his inspiring best driving the Raiders to a much needed victory at Parramatta last week. He is also off contract at the end of the season. While the Milk have the talent to fill that void should he leave, Rapana is still needed at the club. In a year … More Keeping Rapana
BY DAN The Canberra Raiders 12-10 victory over the Parramatta Eels was sheer, bloody-minded courage. It was born from an unending will to persist, even when they had every reason not to. Possession, position and fortune went against them, but they wore every punch offered, straightened their spine, squinted, and went in for more. They … More Raiders Review: Courage
BY ROB “Death by a thousand cuts” describes the slow but gradual destruction of something via an accumulation of small but numerous injuries, that on their own are of no consequence but when tallied prove fatal. For the Raiders 2021 is “Death by repeated whacks”, some of them self-inflicted. The lion’s share of them have … More Raiders Rumble! Raiders vs Eels Round 19 Preview
BY DAN The 2021 season can get in the bin. Then it can take that bin, and get in the sea. Then it can set fire to itself. Then I will tell it to get bent. In case you’re wondering what’s happening, the Canberra Raiders sprung the fact on us that Xavier Savage would be … More The Cursed Season
