Heading into the opening game of Round 10, the Raiders were rank outsiders. They had absolutely no chance of overthrowing the rampant Roosters.
Or so it seemed.
They barely had a forward pack with Corey Horsburgh, John Bateman, Emre Guler, Iosia Soliola and inspirational hooker Josh Hodgson all missing through injury. And that’s not to mention the loss of Bailey Simonsson, which meant Michael Oldfield played on the wing.
On paper they were mismatched all across the park. Then add the dreaded five-day turnaround plus a trip to the Sydney Cricket Ground, which the Roosters have been able to make their own over the last 18 months.
You add that to the fact their form hasn’t been that good anyway, even considering the toughness of their draw, and they shouldn’t have got close.
It should have been a walk in the park for the Roosters in much the same way most of their games since the return from lockdown had been, seeing the Tricolours score 246 points and let in only 83 for six wins and a loss.
But it wasn’t, because the men in green, Ricky Stuart’s Raiders, love proving the doubters wrong. It’s almost been built into their culture over the past 12 months to the point where when all the chips are down, when they are desperate for a win and no-one expects it, they will put one out of the fire.
NRL squads for 2020 are in! (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
If you rewind the best part of 18 months, and with preparations for 2019 ongoing, no-one rated them a chance of doing anything more than challenging for a spot in the top eight. In fact the general consensus seemed to be that the men from the nation’s capital, with their enormous contingent of Englishmen, would probably struggle to make the finals and that coach Stuart might have been under pressure by season’s end.
Of course history will tell the story of what actually happened. As fans and pundits kept waiting for the Raiders to fall apart, they never did; they kept on winning and made it all the way to the grand final.
It’s that attitude of ‘I’m right and you’re wrong’ that the Raiders have carried with them into the 2020 season, and it’s that attitude they must continue to play with if they are to make a challenge for higher honours.
Their injury toll is enormous, but to beat the defending, in-form premiers in the grand final rematch with all the factors against them suggests that just maybe those writing the season off after the loss of Josh Hodgson last week might have been doing so far too quickly.
Sure, fans have written them off because of their form, but they haven’t been that bad. A one-point loss to the Eels and a six-point loss to the Storm are hardly disgraceful over the last month, while their first half against the Dragons in between was superb.
And last night’s effort over the Roosters, who just last week ripped the Cowboys in half despite their own injuries and disruptions, was hardly perfect, but it was gutsy. It was gritty. It was exactly the sort of game Canberra needed to play.
To go behind multiple times yet stay in the fight, for George Williams to be able to take on the line and score a pivotal try, for Siliva Havili and Tom Starling to both have enormous games in the absence of Hodgson and for their pack to stand up – there are so many positives for Canberra.
Chief among them is the way Williams took over the team, both kicking and running. He took ownership of the game situation without Hodgson, which allowed Wighton to continue playing his natural game and wreak havoc on the Roosters defensive right edge.
Of course the performance of Williams in the halves wouldn’t have been possible without the forward pack, and it was Queensland State of Origin veteran Josh Papalii who stood up to lead that charge.
He is an inspirational figure in the lime green, and if the Raiders are to make any sort of charge this season, he will be at the forefront of everything they do.
Last night he came away with 212 metres, a try – the matchwinning try – and no missed tackles. That was despite having to pass a head impact assessment in the early going of the game.
Josh Papalii and the Raiders. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
It was his best effort of the year, and while he has been good most other weeks, he took his game to another level last night, right when his team needed it most. It allowed the rest of the forwards – who all had reasonable games – to play without the same pressure as their leader and ensured the Raiders, even when the going got tough, always had decent go forward and a strong defensive presence in the middle third of the park.
Then there was Joe Tapine, Dunamis Lui, Elliott Whitehead and even Ryan Sutton to back him up. They had to stand up to tackle the best team in the game, and they did just that, even if it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
They performed like the team who made the grand final last night even without a chunk of that team on the park.
Being able to hang tough through periods when your side is on the back foot is the hallmark of any good footy team, and the Raiders did plenty of that last night.
Ricky Stuart will be immensely proud of his side now they are through the toughest part of the draw with their season still intact – and more than intact, as they sit with a record of six and four.
Their run home only has three more games against teams in the current top eight, being South Sydney next week, Penrith and the Roosters again, so they should be able to build momentum.
Whether they can go any further in the finals is up in the air, but they looked a team who were determined to prove a point at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
And when the talent is there to back it up as well as an experienced coach who knows what it takes to play high-level footy when the whips are cracking, anything is possible.
They may not be a premiership contender, and they can’t be talked about that way yet, but Canberra’s effort to beat the Roosters should make opposition contenders sit up and take notice.
Nambawan
Guest
Wasn't it great to once again watch an "old style English half back " in action like George Williams - quick off the mark, footwork off either feet. shades of Alex Murphy, Dickie Williams, Gerry Helme, Rodger Millward et al.
steveng
Roar Rookie
This is an article describing the Chooks Morris and Rapana incident when Morris academy award sprawled backwards theatrics, waving his arms in the air, while contesting a crossfield kick with Raiders winger Rapana, who rightfully became incensed when Sutton penalised him for "escorting" Morris off the ball. The Raiders successfully challenged the call, then went on to win 24-20, but Canberra coach Ricky Stuart was still shaking his head in disbelief when contacted on Friday. Stuart said, I'm going to make acting classes as part of our training schedule from now on." And then of course the dirty acts of the past…remembering the good old days when Balmain hooker “Benny Elias” deliberately bit his own hand in a scrum in the 1986 minor semi-final at the SCG? He showed the teeth marks to referee Kevin Roberts, accusing innocent Bunnies rival Mario Fenech of the heinous crime, and then Roberts sent Fenech from the field. The NRL is smelling and going to become like soccer and this 6 more is going to get out of control!
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Morris boys lost a lot of respect after some of those penalty milking efforts. Actually I’ve just been watching the replay and Josh Morris put on 3 or 4 shamming efforts in the second half. Embarrassing and pathetic. Thankfully the bunker reversed one of the penalties.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Teddy still has Sivo nightmares. I'm not joking, seen how Teddy approaches tackles with any big body since?? Gingerly...
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Some will and belief, and you can achieve anything.
Aw
Guest
Raiders have proven they are still a premiership contender while Roosters are on the slide
edward
Guest
It was a one score game the whole way which befits the FTA TV script.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Yes it's ironic that the classic low scything one-on-one tackles will be will be replaced by the two man wrestle because the low tackles make the game faster and more exciting. The PTB should be held up until the tackler takes his place as defensive player standing at the PTB. The low tackle could cause the word pause to appear in bright green light on our screens like the ridiculous red restart.
Womblat
Guest
Yeah I'm the same about that six tackle restart thing. Anyone who's played the game knows how tough it is to keep a determined opposition out for six tackles on your own line but to have it nonchalently waved "6 again" by a ref who hasn't got to make a single tackle is soul breaking. They are in pretty well every time against a demoralised and exhausted defence, hence our frequent blowouts this year. In theory, it shouldn't matter when it happens but in reality, copping a "6 again" on tackle 5 ten out is Doomsday. That's the sign of an overpowered decision by a third party tilting the machine. It's murderous. I agree a lazy "6 again" call shows up refs who have no "feel" for the game and is a way bigger call than just 6 extra tackles. It's a massive influence from someone who's supposed to stay the hell out of it and let the players sort out the result.
Don
Roar Rookie
Maybe If the GF is in January.
Larry1950
Guest
TB, does that mean Seibold is just timing the Broncos run to the GF?
Larry1950
Guest
Scott, I'm not a rooster or raider's fan so don't have skin in the game but for the life of me when watching last night I struggled with interpretation of a couple of those tackle restarts against the raiders early on. Have started to confirm my suspicion that many refs have no feel for the game, surely it's fair enough that a 6 foot 4 inch tall front rower can take a fraction longer to clear the tackle compared to an Alfie langer clone. Additionally, the new rule should reward those classic low scything one-on-one tackle & give the defender a bit of latitude, it's not a game of touch or tag. I don't want to watch games where the forwards dive onto their guts in the tackle to get a six again ruling, that's not my game, is it that rugba league code I heard about? One of the establishment's criticisms of Superleague was that style of submission in a tackle. With that off my chest, it's apparent there's only 4-5 clubs really in the premiership mix, last night's combatants plus Melbourne, Parramatta & Penrith, and the jury is out on whether the latter pair have the real mettle to aim up when the kitchen heats up. This season's premiership will probably be decided by injuries to key players across that group. As an aside, did the raiders recruit Williams to have one of their halves with a honker similar to their legend Laurie Daley? Geez that's a decent sized target!
Cyril Snodgrass III
Guest
The Roosters will continue to be vulnerable as long as Matt Ikavalu is in the team Ikavalu has a major problem holding the football while he scored a few tries against a third rate Cowboys team..the bloke has poor hands. Hasler knew it in the Manly game when Ikavalu lost the ball at a crucial stage Stuart knew it last night when Ikavalu lost the ball at a crucial stage....Papali scores shortly after a team is only as strong as its weakest link Ryan Hall needs to be reinstated to the Roosters...Pronto
Nat
Roar Rookie
Except Tede wanted to have a go at Williams. Papa on the other hand...
Clint
Guest
Me too. We did see glimpses of it in the 2018 gf but not much since
Clint
Guest
Spot on. I reckon the penny dropped for Robbo when he got schooled by Bellamy in the 2015 qualifier v Melbourne. They'd beaten them a few weeks earlier in the reg season and tried to play the same way to beat them again. Storm knew what to expect and shut down their attack pretty well.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Seeing as Ricky and Craig are best mates they probably passed tips along last week. Those two tries were pretty much identical.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
I recall seeing Brett Morris jump the gun and was running so fast the passer had to throw a bullet pass. I thought Brett is getting old and maybe slowing down a bit so he had to compensate. The combination of centre and winger in full flight minimising the time taken to get the ball over the try line is wonderful to watch.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
Agree, it was an uncharacteristically lame attempt by Teddy, which I'm sure will be noted by other coaches.
bbt
Roar Rookie
Jahrome Hughes (Storm) and George Williams (Raiders) have both exposed a blind spot in the Roosters defence. Someone with a good step against a tiring forward, back towards the middle. I reckon we'll see this tried quite often in the next few games.