While experts are claiming the Raiders’ season is over, it is still possible the Dragons, depleted Cowboys and Manly could all get a case of the yips, seeing Canberra do a Steve Bradbury.
On paper, it looks like the Raiders can plan a trip to Bali in a fortnight’s time, but let’s look closer at the final two rounds.
This week, the Cowboys are away to the Wests Tigers, who have improved in leaps and bounds over the last six weeks, and the resurgent Knights have given them the desire to win each week to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon. Meanwhile, North Queensland have an alarmingly high injury list after a brutal fortnight against two physical packs, in the Storm and Sharks. This game will be a toss of the coin.
Manly should have all but eliminated the Raiders last Sunday, but suffered a shock loss to the Dogs. Now the Sea Eagles face a Warriors side with an extra two off, who are also boosted by the timely return of Shaun Johnson, making what also appeared to be a certain two points another danger game. If it’s a dry track at Mt Smart this Sunday, expect as many tries as last Saturday night’s Bledisloe clash!
The Dragons face the toughest challenge, with an away trip to face a red-hot Panthers, who know doubt will be reminded all week of the flogging the Dragons inflicted on them in the opening game of the season. Add to that Matt Moylan gaining more match fitness and the forwards starting to fire, this clash could spell the end for St George Illawarra’s 2017 campaign.
As for the Radiers, they are at home to the Knights, where the Canberrans could run up a score to improve their for-and-against.
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Moving ahead to Round 26 and the Cowboys finish the season at home to the Broncos, Manly host the Panthers, and the Saints face their bogey team, the Bulldogs, at ANZ Stadium. Manly with only a +23 differential are the most vulnerable if they crash to their fourth loss in five this weekend in Auckland, though the Cowboys also boast only +26.
As for the Raiders, they are away to a Storm side that will in all likelihood rest some big guns, having secured the minor premiership. Plus, Canberra have a decent record against Craig Bellamy’s men.
So Roarers, is it still possible a few twists and turns await the final makeup of the top eight, or are the Raiders and Saints’ seasons as good as over?
Conan of Cooma
Roar Rookie
Can they make it? Sure. The big question is do they deserve to be there?
woppadingo
Guest
Worst possible thing for the Raiders would be to make the finals. Huge Raiders fan, but they need to suffer the consequences of ill discipline, poor execution, and lack of respect for their opposition all year. Making the finals will only paper over their problems, and they will not learn anything from 2017. They are a team that possess so much size and talent, but they did not take advantage of it and need to learn from that mistake
Big Daddy
Guest
The Viking clap. Is that some sort of disease.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Too true - they'd be mugs if they took the Knights lightly given the results of the last 3 games they've played against each other
souvalis
Guest
Wouldn't be taking this game too easily the Knights have already belted them once this year..and that was with Jaeleen Feeney and without Buhrer,Barnett and Daniel Saffiti as rampaging as he is right now...
Gary Harvey
Guest
How about some sort of beer olympics at half time between raiders and knights fans? Many years ago they did something like this at half time in a footy game in Darwin. Was a pretty high standard as well.
JohnB
Guest
Technically, it's not right that 2 of the 3 teams above Canberra need to lose both. It is certainly correct that Canberra needs to win both (and that is what may make this all academic). However, if St George wins one and loses one (certainly possible) it only takes one of NQ or Manly to lose both (either of which is possible) and you have 3 teams on 28, and doesn't for and against then decide who is 8th? Whichever of NQ/Manly has lost both is then out (they already have worse for and againsts than St George and Canberra, and they would only get worse still with 2 losses) and it would be between St George and Canberra.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Agree with all of this sham - the Raiders seem to set up most of their plays for tries with the ball going through the hands rather than from kicks - unless someone like Croker can see an opportunity and points to where he wants a kick from Sezer. They need to create more options for tries though kicks and if that doesn't work get a repeat set if its batted out. I'm as surprised as you that they don't use this tactic more as it would confuse the opposition about how to defend against them. Agree that the try to Mansour was unforgivable but I think that last try to May was due to fatigue after defending 3 sets. The Raiders looked to lack energy in defence on Sunday and I don't really know why. Was it the trip to Auckland and back? It should have been the Raiders putting the acid on Penrith but they seemed to be madly scrambling trying to defend what was being thrown at them. Having a completion rate of around 67% compared to the Panthers 87% didn't help.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
No worries Ron - the Viking clap is still pretty awesome though I suspect it pumps up the opposition as much as it does the Raiders. So I'm not sure it has much of an impact on results. Someone blows the huge Viking horn next to the scoreboard then drummers from the defence forces in their full gear signal the start off the clap in front of the Mal Meninga Stand. I just think it adds a bit of atmosphere. There's a bloke on a drum that starts it up again every now and then when there is a bit of a lull in the game but its nowhere near as loud as it is at the start. I actuall really like the Warriors drums - gives the game a distinctive Kiwi feel - and I like the cowbells that are used at home matches for the Storm. I'm in suppoprt of anything that adds to the occasion and gets the crowds going. Have to say the Canberra crowds have been very good this year - regularly around 14 to 16,000 when you would be lucky to get 10 to 12,000 in recent years. And the crowds have improves despite some pretty ordinary performances at home on their home deck. But they need to improve the half time entertainment which is virtually non existent after they got rid of the cheer leaders. They need to bring back that machine that sends up spiralling bombs and random blokes from the crowd makes themselves look silly trying to catch them. Actually Jack Wighton should stay out on the ground at half time and get a bit of extra practice at chatching bombs! Will be interesting to see how Bellamy reacts with his choice of team for the final round. I don't know what his record is in terms of resting players after they've won the minor premiership. If I was coaching I think I'd want to keep the winning momentum going and I don't think he would be doing any favours for his old club. I guess there are arguments for and against resting players. I know the AFL have got rid of this temptation to clubs by giving every team participating in the finals a bye on the weekend before finals start.
Sham
Guest
One issue with the Raiders that gets missed is that they do not set up for kicks close to the line well. Kicking is not just about the kicker. Several times against the Raiders Cleary had lots of time to make a good quick as the set up with block, out the back plays was good. The Raiders on the other hand often fail to set up for kicks well close to the line. If you watch the Storm they set up for the kick very well and they make sure not only that the kicker is well positioned on the field but also that the kickers have a bit of time. The Raiders seem to set their kickers up to fail at times and they also often fail to put pressure on opposition kickers. While I would love the Raiders to make the finals two of the tries they conceded against the Panthers were unforgivable. The Mansour try they conceded was truly pathetic but the one by May was even worse. You have to lock the ball up close to the line and you can actually knock it out as the player tries to plant it down. You don't watch a relatively small guy just plant the ball with three guys on him. The two tries I am referring to were two of the softest ones you will ever see.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
The band, that's all the punters care about...and the Mike Whitney band. Played cricket with Noely, handy all-rounder. Always bowled unplayable leggies in the nets but resorted to seam-up on Saturdays. Slept like a railway sleeper, trying to wake him on game day was often a 3 hour affair culminating in busted doors.
Birdy
Guest
Ron I think canberra has lacked a plan b for a few seasons. I love watching a big mobile forward pack strut their stuff. The raiders demolished the sharkies a few weeks ago which made me think, maybe they could do it this year. Admittedly the sharkies were at the start of their slump as well. Just to start a code war? I watch the monster sides, raiders,warriors and doggies and sometimes think the way they get run down , run around and totally worn out is probably what would happen if you threw some of the union sides into the NRL for a season.
Harry
Guest
I reckon also that even though it's revitalised both players, Austin and Sezer swapping sides has removed one of the Raiders' best attacking weapons close to the line, namely Sezer's grubbers into the in-goal for Croker.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
The beer or the band?? Noel Solomon, one of my fave footballers, had so much time on his hands in attack, never given a decent run by the bang average Barney Rubble lookalike Peter Louis. Did he join Jason Martin at the Cowboys where they would of struggled to get a gig over the class pairing of Dunneman and Spina (another ex-Bears No.7). I think had they got the best out of Dallas Weston and Darren Fritz they would of knocked off your mob and the Dogs that year. Fritzy didn't like the club bike pants he had wear and wasn't allowed to wear his old red and white Steeler special's that Rod Wishart gave him!
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
Nothing to do with barge over tries only frustrating the Raiders went to that play way too often in the final 10-15 mins targeting young Cleary who was outstanding defensively. Either winger one on one with Mansour I'd back to score on 9 out of 10 plays, never eventuated. Raiders play dumb, dumb football at times and don't play to their strengths.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
Thanks Geoff I suspected the home form since the start of the Viking Clap had proved an average home record. Do you think the fans are expelling too much cheer before a ball is kicked? Do they start it again throughout the course of the game like the Warriors do with the bongo drums, which I suspect is now a recording, I could be wrong. I doubt Bellamy would risk his big guns with nothing to play for in the final round and the finals a week away regardless of results this wknd. It could prove dangerous for the Raiders who might get complacent all the same. Fingers crossed we still have 4 sides in contention in Round 26. If Manly and the Cows win, it's all over red rover!
Andrew
Guest
Not saying they are the best team in the comp, but the Panthers didn't prove the Raiders were pretenders. Yeah Seizer and Austin are far from the best creative halves in the comp but they had scored thirty points plus in each of their last three matches. And in terms of barge over tries, the Panthers had two of those on the weekend and they are supposed to be the entertainers...
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Do you reckon Stone and Wood's will back flip the Dogs? Makes sense. 95, seems like yesterday. Bears only had themselves to blame, would've won a couple of comps if they'd held onto Noely Solomon.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
Couldn't agree more Agent11, their completions rate, discipline and overall lack of variety in attack is to blame for their lack of progress after an excellent 2016.
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
To be honest Ken the Raiders have really been in that Mathematical chance saloon for the past month or so...somehow like Steve Bradbury still in with that slim chance, only just!