Penrith Panthers vs Canberra Raiders highlights: NRL live scores, blog

Yes, Raiders tend to be leaderless, rudderless and clueless. NEW LEADER REQUIRED As good a player and clubman that Croker is, the captaincy should go to someone, preferably a forward, a talker, who will give out instructions for the team to follow. With 1 minute to go, Croker should have gathered his players to gee them up about what he expected in defence. Didn't see it happen. NEW RUDDER We need an organizer, similar to Cameron Smith. With 6 minutes to go - leading by 8 points,inside the Penrith 25 yard line - the ball should have gone to Hodgson to grubber over the try line or at least grubber into touch to slow the play. BETTER STRATEGY AT THE END OF GAMES Instead, Leilua tried to play hot potato, loses the ball to Penrith who then march the ball down into the Raiders' half. A try came soon after. It is not good enough to be brilliant individuals - we need to be brilliant as a team

I reckon wighton is okay. They need good forwards to back up paulo and boyd. Tapine off the bench is the only decent player at the moment. I reckon yes we have lost good players. But instead of crying about it better develop players now off the bench. Apart from taylor I would have persist with royce hunt who had a few good runs. Bring in makahesi makatoa and sorensen. Drop bateman to mounties and develop his offloads. He is a good defender but thats about it. Priest needs soul searching and also needs to work on his energy in defence and running game. For the backs sezer is and has never been a game organiser. I would slowly start bringing in the new warriors five eight or lachlan croker would be better especially if the season is over. For now I would stick to the halves as they are good defenders but not sparking in attacks. Austin is good but needs to run more. I reckon with baptiste back the raiders will make a turn around cone next game onwards. Just few bench changes will be good for now but not too much.

Every team has a season like the Raiders are having . A few bounces of the ball , and the rub of the green and they are top 4 .Last year it was the Roosters , albeit they maybe had a few more excuses than the Raiders have this year . They can still make the finals but they have to beat a lot of very good teams to get there and they definitely can't afford to lose anymore games like that . On the Panthers front , they still have to improve considerably , but that win could be the result that " really " gets them starting to believe they can go all the way this year . Even so ,they will need an improvement trajectory like a rocket ship to make that happen .

Very good points TR. You're on the money with Wighton although I read with some disappointment the Raiders signed him to a new deal this week so he's not going anywhere soon. Much like Tim Mannah at Parramatta I'm amused when they make a big announcement about Wighton staying even though I'm sure no other clubs had the slightest interest in them? The more I see of Sezer the more I'm convinced he's a 6 not a 7. He's a role player for a good dummy-half not a controller. A good 7 would have closed out the tight losses we've had this year and not let the opposition in. It's not all his fault but I don't like some of his tactics towards the end of a close game. I've banged on all year about us missing Vaughan and will again here. WHY DID WE LET VAUGHAN GO???? Compare the improvement in St George against the decline at Canberra and the common denominator is Vaughan. Finally, as I remember the successful teams of the past at Canberra and elsewhere I believe the Raiders are lacking a hard-no-nonsense-lead-by-example player. In years gone by for us it was Meninga or Dean Lance. Other examples are Ray Price at Parramatta, Harrogan with Newcastle, Tallis in Brisbane and more recently Paul Gallen and Boyd Cordner. These men do the tough hard work for 80 minutes inspiring their players and lifting everyone's standard. No player wants to face them if they didn't leave it all out there on the field. I look at the current Raiders and don't see anyone who fills this role. The team may have plenty of flair but I don't see any toughness, any grit or any determination. I hope Ricky can turn the team around this season but sadly I can't see it.

Dave Taylor has had a persistent calf injury and to top it off recently had chicken pox. He played for Mounties on Saturday which was his first game for about a month. Hear what you are saying about Jack Wighton. I don't think he is a natural full back - he is suspect under the high ball - compare Wighton with the way Billy Slater attacks a high ball - poles apart.. One good thing about Jack is his try saving defence. Cotric to full back may be a possibility. The young kid has a had a great season. Maybe put Wighton on to a wing. But it won't happen as Jack is one of Ricky's favourites. Agree that Priest and Bateman have had very average seasons. Can see Taylor taking one of their spots once he has acquired match fitness. Not sure that the team can change much as there is very little depth for positions this season given all the players that have been moved on (Vaughan, Fensom, the two Lees, Sam Williams and more recently Santo and Turner). One positive out of the game was the return of Kurt Baptiste. He provides a lot of energy and spark out of dummy half and doesn't try to overplay his hand like Hodgson. Supporters have been saying it for months - it is the halves that are the problem. Austin is a shadow of what he was in 2015 - he is a running 5/8 and we haven't seen enough of it this season - and Sezer hasn't become the dominant half that is needed to manage the team. I'm at a loss to see where the Raiders go from here. That last minute defeat will be burning deep. If you have a look at the season they could have won against the Cowboys, Broncos, Manly twice and the Panthers and somehow managed to lose all of them and also lost to the Dogs and the Knights who have been woeful this season. Bottom of the 8 is the best they could hope for but even that is a remote possibility. The next few weeks will really test the character of this team.

The Raiders problem is simple. They have a fullback that will drop at least 2 out of 6 bombs. I don't know whether they keep a personal error count for each game but Jack Wighton would be the most error prone No. 1 in the NRL. So with Jack at 1, the Raiders are at least two try scoring opportunities behind each game. The solution was put Zac Santo at 1. However the Raiders have just released him to the Warriors (Go Figure) The other option is to move Cotric there. He could swap with Wighton, that way Ricky won't have to sever the love affair he has with Wighton. The forward pack needs another big body to come on when Boyd & Paulo come off. Maybe the Raiders should get a former Australian, Queensland rep player who is very mobile & is desperate to play in the NRL again. That's right a bloke by the name of Dave Taylor is playing in the Mounties side. Ricky why don't you give him a go. You persist with Priest & Bateman, who are fringe NRL players at best. In other words they wouldn't get a run in any other NRL team on a regular basis. Why not have them as the back up players & give Dave Taylor a go. The only bright light last night was the return of Kurt Baptise, don't forget that he was a major part of the Raiders 'run' last season. Hodgson can play a more half like role when Baptise is on the field. I agree that the halves have been disappointing this year, I think Austin should stay, however he only comes to the fore when the forward pack is dominating the opposition & their is time and room to move. Siezer should go, he is not the No 7. the Raiders need. Maybe a swap with Newcastle with Hodkinson would be a good fit. We need a half that can manage a game tactically. Remember that this is Ricky's team now. He got rid of Edric & Brenco Lee, Mitchell Barnett & Zac Santo. Brenco & Mitch have proved to be great players in the making, Santo will get there. The time has come Ricky to move Wighton over or out. Bring Taylor into the 17 & see what happens, after all our season is about over for us.

They may improve. What amazes me in a way is that Ricky was a great game manager you would think that he could teach those skills. I will still support them but with no real optimism.

Maybe 2016 was an aberration - when Hodgson, BJ and Rapana had exceptional years that inspired some amazing exciting wins. This season when they have got into the grind in close games they have continually come up short - mainly due to the inadequacy of the halves. I'm starting to think that Ricky Stuart and the Raiders are an incredibly dumb team that are rudderless, clueless and leaderless.

The natural order is for the Raiders to be mediocre it is hard to see that changing next year. Their roster is weaker this year than it was last year and they have made no real signings for next year either. They were great last year but they have been a real disappointment this year.

Raiders fans need to have a bit more faith in Stuart. As much as I despise him, I think he can turn things around next year. It's still a young side and they are still learning. Last year everything clicked for them but not so this year. They will probably finish outside the top 8, but things look promising next year and they will become a stronger team. Let's not forget that Penrith played very well to come from behind. Again, only Sharks look capable of stopping Storm this year so not the end of the world to miss out on finals.

Cotric is a gun maybe put him at 5/8. Not sure where they go from here.

It's the Raiders. It's what they do.

Your right Sham - no depth - no Eddie and Brenko Lee, no Fensom, no Vaughan, no Sam Williams to put pressure on the halves. Austin is a shadow of what he was in 2015. Sezer doesn't know how to close out tight matches. BJ, Tapine and Junior Paulo are prone to brain explosions that lose matches. Not sure where the Raiders go from here as they have most of the current squad locked in for next year and there is talk of Stuart being extended. Incredibly disappointing. After building up their membership and having healthy home crowds I'm worried that the support for the Raiders could collapse very quickly given recent mediocre performances.

I'd add BJ and Wighton to the list of players whose starting positions should be challenged. Their mistakes cost the Raiders points.

Yes they are very hard to support. The game management at the end was non existent. I blame Austin more than Sezer he can kick well. Austin can only put up bombs - his short kicking game is very poor and his game management skills are abysmal. They have no depth this year and they have not signed anyone of note for next year so it looks like a return to being a very mediocre side.

I'm over this team. Sezer and Austin should be sacked. Absolute fraudsters. But who do you replace them with? Only the Raiders could lose from being up 20 -12 with two minutes to go. Stuart can't keep protecting these losers. If I hear another word about how hard they are trying and how they much they are hurting in the change sheds I'll puke. Heads should roll but there is no one to replace them with. 2016 is like a distant dream and 2017 has become an absolute nightmare.

Seder needs to take charge with game management - Austin has very poor judgement and his kicking game is terrible.

Should add, congrats to the Panthers. Thought they were a bit unlucky not to go into HT more ahead given their dominance and despite showing some lack of patience in the last half an hour of the game to end up 8 behind you have to respect their willingness to fight to the final whistle. They deserved to win that game.

You have got to be effing kidding. How did they lose that? I couldn't stomach watching Ricky Stuart's press conference. Absolutely shameful and embarassing.

WTF just happened. I left this match with about 5-7 mins left and the Raiders were winning by 8. How did they lose?