The Canberra Raiders will once again approach an NRL season as one of the teams expected to attain the wooden spoon, but a closer look at their roster, however, suggests the Green Machine have all the parts necessary to fight for a place in the top eight.
Despite finishing last year in 13th position, Raiders coach David Furner should have the right to feel very optimistic about his sides chances of making the finals this season.
Rising stars Josh Dugan, Daniel Vidot and Travis Waddell headline the latest batch of home grown talent in the nation’s capital, with all three expected to play key roles in Canberra’s bid to yet again prove the doubters wrong.
In his few games of first grade in 2009, Dugan has established himself as one of the NRL’s most promising fullbacks in years, and was arguably the cornerstone for some of the Raiders more impressive wins against teams such as the Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights.
On the flanks, Daniel Vidot has already become accustomed to finding the try line, scoring six four pointers in just eight appearances so far for the Raiders.
Hooker Travis Waddell also experienced a strong start to his NRL career last season, with the 20 year being rewarded with selection in the Indigenous All Stars team several weeks ago.
Indeed Waddell’s effort for the Indigenous All Stars will only build the skill and confidence of a player that will provide key figures Terry Campese and Marc Herbert with terrific service out of dummy half.
While the majority of Canberra’s fortunes will undoubtedly lay on the shoulders of Campese, rising stars such as Dugan, Vidot and Waddell should ensure that attacking responsibilities within the side are more evenly shared than in previous seasons.
Having one of the more impressive forward packs at your disposal will only help the Raiders bid to secure a finals spot.
Origin and Test stars David Shillington, Tom Learoyd-Lars and Bronson Harrison form a formidable combination upfront, with each player blessed with the ability to offload and make the yardage necessary to allow the likes of Campese and Dugan to weave their magic.
Throw in hardworking forwards such as Alan Tongue, Dane Tilse, Scott Logan and Troy Thompson and one can see the green machine do have the personnel necessary upfront to challenge the bigger packs in the NRL.
As always, the injury curse seems to have found a permanent home in the nation’s capital, and it has once again wrecked havoc on the Raiders preparations for the start of this season.
NSW Origin representative Joel Monaghan has already suffered a broken thumb during the pre-season, and is expected to miss the opening five matches.
Indeed it is the last thing coach David Furner would have wanted for a Raiders team which has constantly had its premiership aspirations torn apart by injury early on in the campaign.
One hopes Monaghan is the last significant injury worry Canberra have this season, because at full strength, the Green Machine have the right mix of hardworking and exciting players to really give a good account of themselves.
With a somewhat reasonable draw which includes the Panthers, Broncos, Titans and Tigers in the opening month of season 2010, they have every opportunity to start well and really shed the tag as constant fancies for the wooden spoon.
ScottWoodward.me
Guest
Mick, They do have problems traveling.
Alan
Roar Guru
Mick/Vidot Indeed that is great news. Was not aware of injury but thankfully he is on the mend. Sorry for late reply. Vidot - good news, you will be able to watch the Raiders play against the Tigers on Channel Nine on a Sunday in round 4. Hope we get to see the green machine more often. Scott - its a good lineup that will hopefully present itself for the majority of this season for Raiders sake. They are every chance
Mick from Giralang
Guest
Good news about Learoyd-Lahrs...injury not as bad as first thought and may even play first round....yay!
Mick from Giralang
Guest
Scott: There's a groundswell among Raiders supporters for Monaghan to go the wing. The feeling is he is a ball hog in the centres.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
I think they will look this way: 1 - Josh Dugan* 2 - Justin Carney 3 - Daniel Vidot 4 - Joel Monaghan 5 - Jarrod Croker 6 - Terry Campese* 7 - Josh McCrone/Marc Herbert 8 - David Shillington 9 - Allan Tongue (c)*/Travis Waddell/Glen Buttriss 10 – Scott Logan/Tom Learoyd-Lahrs 11 - Trevor Thurling 12 - Bronson Harrison 13 - Joel Thompson/Allan Tongue (c)* 14 - Dane Tilse 15 - Joe Picker/Danny Galea 16 - Troy Thompson/Shaun Fensom 17 – Josh Miller/David Milne * Denotes critical to team structure
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Alan, I think the Raiders are only a hooker and a half back away from being a Final 4 team. Both Josh McCrone and Marc Herbert are handy but you need better than Handy in the most important position. I also do not share your enthusiasm for Travis Waddell, who is also just handy. That means when Tongue is not playing hooker the Raiders have 2 "handy" players in the key 4 spine positions. Thats not good enough and puts too much pressure on Campo. You are correct about Dugan and Vidot (will play centre not wing) as they are very special. You can add Justin Carney and Jarrod Croker to the special lists also. Shame about there early injuries.
Mick from Giralang
Guest
Alan , Raiders will find out today whether Tom Learoyd Lahrs is out for an extended period with yet another knee injury. If so, it means the Raiders have lost arguably their best back and best forward before a blow is struck in earnest. Combined with their patchy trial form (apparently woeful against the Dogs) this die-hard Raiders fan is feeling a little pessimistic. Hope you prove me wrong!
Vidot
Guest
Last 5 or more years, yep the Raiders have been tipped to come last. It is just the boring pre-season ritual the media goes through each year. Boring, boring and more boring from a media with no imagination who only know how to regurgitate stories (want to read another Willy Mason article anybody?) The number of times the Raiders have come last since '82 is zero. So the media are ALWAYS wrong, 100% failure rates. The commentators and media are owned by the NRL and the bigger clubs, so they have to pick someone outside of this, or it will upset the NRL owners. The Raiders are a genuine team with squad largely made up of genuine local players. They will make the 8 and play some finals football in 2010. There still won't be any televised Raiders games of course. The referees will try hard to stop the Raiders from making the 8 by continuing their illegal decisions and atrocities, but the Raiders will find a way through it this year to the finals.
Eddie Williams
Guest
Finally, SOMEONE tips the Raiders to make the eight. I'm tired of the so-called "experts" tipping Canberra to run last year after year. Each year commentators say Penrith and Parramatta will do well on the back of their "nursery" of young talent, forgetting the Raiders team is also made up of local stars on the rise. And the Panthers and Eels have hardly been heavyweights in the past 6 years (last year for Parra aside). Fair dinkum, if the young kids Canberra has at its disposal played for the Dragons or Broncos, they'd be shouting to the roofotops their potential. Great article.