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Joining the competition in 1982, the Raiders were the second team since the Newcastle Rebels in 1909 to be a team outside of Sydney to join the NSWRL.
The club would quickly find success, appearing in the 1987 grand final in only their sixth season.
They would go down to Manly but two years later again be in the grand final against the Balmain Tigers in what still to this day is the best grand final ever.
From there the club would be in three more grand finals – 1990, 91 and 94. While they have not tasted success since, they have had a great number of excellent players in their time.
Premiership winners, Clive Churchill Medalists, Dally M Winners, Origin heroes, this list pretty much has it all. Noting my one club per man rule, don’t forget Glenn Lazarus will not feature on the list.
10. John Chicka Ferguson
I have a dear friend of mine who was a mad Canberra supporter who just passed away last year and I know that he would haunt me if I did not place his favourite player on the list. Chicka started his career with the Raiders in 1986 after returning from England.
In 1988 he would become the highest try scorer of the season in 1988 and scored the try in the 1989 grand final that would put the game into overtime.
He would again feature in the 1990 grand final and be the oldest player in the league at 36.
This is an age record that still stands to this day. A fan favourite and one of the fastest men in the league, he would play 94 games for the club and score 50 tries. Chicka would play eight times for NSW and have three Tests for Australia.
9.Brett Mullins
Mullins was the successor to the great Gary Belcher at fullback following his retirement in 1993. Mullins would miss out on the 1991 grand final but would play in the 1994 decider against the Bulldogs.
Over his 183 games for the club he would be the second highest try scorer with 105 and win the fullback of the year in the 1994 season. Mullins would play five games each for Australia and NSW.
8. Jason Croker
Croker was named the Canberra Raiders’ rookie of the year in 1991 and he went on to play somewhat of a utility position over his long career, filling into many spots throughout his team. His 120 tries for Canberra is a club record and in 2000 he was named the Raiders’ player of the year.
Although he played so many years for the club he would never feature in any of the club’s grand finals. In 2006 he would be the first man from the club to join the 300 club and retire a team favourite.
7. David Furner
Debuting in 1992, Furner would play 200 games for the club.
Furner would win the Clive Churchill Medal for his performance in the 1994 grand final scoring one try and kicking 4/7 goals. Unusual for this feat to be achieved by a second rower but Furner prove that forwards can also kick a goal. Furner would represent Australia once and NSW eight times.
6. Gary Belcher
In his rookie year of 1986, Belcher was awarded the player of the year. He would again achieve this feat the following year in 1987 and convert the Raiders’ only try in the 1987 grand final.
In the 1988 Winfield Cup he was the league’s top point scorer and also broke the Raiders’ club record for the most points, scoring 218 (this record stood for almost thirteen years before being broken by Clinton Schifcofske in 2001).
For his 148 games at the club Belcher would score 69 tries and kick 148 goals. A two-time premiership winner at the club, Belcher was one of the best fullbacks to come out of Queensland and played in 16 games for Queensland and 15 Tests for Australia as fullback.
5. Ricky Stuart
Stuart switched from union in 1988 and played for the Raiders from 1988 to 1999, winning three premierships.
In 1993 he would take out the Dally M Medal for player of the year. For his 203 games at the club he would score 39 tries, kick 7 goals and plot 25 field goals – a club record.
He would represent NSW 14 times and have nine Tests for Australia.
4. Steve Walters
Besides Noel Kelly, Walters was one of the best hookers to ever play for Canberra.
Walters would have 14 games for Queensland and 15 Tests for Australia
3. Bradley Clyde
In Clyde’s 178 games for the club he would achieve what no man has done before or since – win the Clive Churchill Medal twice (89, 91).Along with Brad Mackay (St George in 1993) and Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly in 2013), he is also one of only three players to win the Churchill Medal while on a losing grand final side.
Clyde was a brilliant player and one of the best lock forwards of his time. He would have twelve games for NSW and 19 Tests for Australia.
2. Laurie Daley
Daley debut for the club in 1987 and would play 244 games for the club – the second highest in the club’s history. A three-time premiership player, his individual effort in the 1994 grand final was an epic 50-metre sprint to the try line was one of the best of all time.
It rated six on my top eight grand final tries of all time. Daley would win the Dally M Medal in 1995 and also take out the five eighth for the year for 1995 and 1996. Also in 1996 he would win the captain of the year. He would captain both NSW and Australia in his career and play 23 times for NSW and 21 Tests for Australia
Honourable mentions: Clinton Schifcofske, Ruben Wiki, Sam Backo and Steve Johnson.
1. Mal Meninga
Well no surprises here that Big Mal is the best player for the Raiders, a centre with tree trunk legs moved like a man half his size and could also kick a footy. The last great toe poker Meninga still holds the record for most successful goal kicks in a Origin game – ironically from the first game in 1980 – being 7 from 7.
Mal would be the only man to lead the team to ultimate victory as he would captain the side to their three wining premierships. Mal would win the Dally M centre of the year for seasons 1990 and 1991 and captain of the year in 1994.
Meninga would have the record for Origin appearances at 32 until Darren Lockyer broke his record years later. Meninga would then become the most successful origin coach ever winning more than any other and handed the ropes over to Kevin Walters in 2015.
Do you agree with my lists? Who is your favourite Raiders player?
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