Canberra coach Ricky Stuart labelled his team’s performance in their 48-2 thrashing at the hands of the Melbourne Storm on Sunday as “embarrassing.”
And he wasn’t wrong.
The Raiders have been the bogey team in recent years for Melbourne, who have been unable to beat the Green Machine at home since 2018. But they broke that jinx with a commanding victory.
“We weren’t prepared to fight for the 80 (minutes) and they were,” said a frustrated Stuart in the post-match press conference.
“We were fighting for our top-four spot and we delivered up that crap. That’s the embarrassing part. I’m lost for words.
“I don’t think I can say much more than that, to be honest, it was just a really, really embarrassing performance. We went away after 20 minutes.”
Stuart refused to speak about the announcement of club legend Jarrod Croker’s retirement, which was announced earlier in the day.
“I’ll talk tomorrow about it. I’m not trying to be disrespectful … I ain’t in the mood for talking. I’m here because I have to be here,” leaving just seconds later.
The Storm were in complete control for the majority of Sunday’s clash at AAMI Park to remind everyone not to forget about them when talking about who’s in the mix for Grand Final day.
It was a tough day out for the Raiders, having nine tries put on them and finishing the game with fullback Jordan Rapana and centre Matthew Timiko sent to the sin bin.
It was meant to be one of the matches of the round with fourth taking on fifth, instead, it was a one-sided affair with the visitors unable to even cross the try line. The Raiders entered the game sitting in fourth spot on the NRL ladder but as the only team in the Top 8 with a negative point differential. A loss would prove costly, but a thrashing could be devastating to their finals chances.
The Storm now move into fourth spot, with the Raiders sinking to sixth.
Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant were once again instrumental for the home side, back playing together for the first time in a few weeks.
“We knew we needed to be defensively great today, and I think we were,” said Munster. “We’ve been a bit up and down the last few weeks, it was good to get that cohesion back and hopefully we can take that into the finals.”
After his recent overloaded schedule including State of Origin duties, star dummy half Grant was relegated to the bench by Storm coach Craig Bellamy. His impact was immediate when he came on midway through the first half, lifting the tempo of the game and he finished with an assist, a try of his own and four line breaks.
Bellamy was impressed with his team’s defence.
“We weren’t that great with the ball, to be honest,” said Bellamy. “We made a lot of errors in the first half but I just thought we built our game on our defence and that’s a bit of old-school Melbourne Storm.”
It looked like the Raiders were going to keep a hold of their dominance over the Storm at AAMI Park intact, holding the majority of the early possession and keeping the Storm in their own half.
After providing some early pressure, the Raiders forced a penalty and Jamal Fogarty opened the scoring with a penalty goal in the fourth minute. But the Storm quickly took the lead, with Christian Welch barging over the try line for his first four-pointer since 2021.
“That’s not a good sign for the Raiders,” said Fox League’s Anthony Griffin. They’ve had all the running early and the first chance the Storm get, their big front-rower jumps straight over the try line.”
Griffin was right, with the rest of the game belonging to the Storm.
The home side thought they had crossed again but some desperate goal-line defence from Nic Cotric arrived just in time to force a Xavier Coates knock-on. The Storm almost bungled another their next try, but centre Marion Seve managed to hold onto the ball and ground it on the line.
Raiders fullback Rapana was lucky not to have been penalised for an attempted trip on the Storm’s third try scorer Reimis Smith after sticking his leg out as Smith tried to get past him, but it was in vain as the speedster got back to his feet to give his team a 16-2 lead.
Grant’s impact into the game was immediate, linking with Hughes to send Eliesa Katoa over to score and send the Storm to the sheds at halftime leading 20-2. The Storm hooker added his name to the scorecard not long into the second half, along with Trent Loiero, Munster, Nick Meaney and Young Tonumaipea.
With the hoodoo broken the Storm will now put all of their efforts into holding onto their Top 4 spot to ensure two bites at the finals cherry. As for the Raiders, they will need to go back to the drawing board after Sunday’s embarrassing effort if they want to keep themselves in the finals race.
The Raiders fullback’s gamesmanship was under the spotlight once again on Sunday, involved in two ugly incidents in the first half.
He was lucky not to have spent some time in the sin bin when it looked like he tried to trip Reimis Smith as he went to score a try.
“It didn’t look like a trip, it was a trip,” said Fox League’s Corey Parker. “You see there the initial reaction from Reimis Smith when he got up after scoring the try. He was beaten there Rapana, he put the foot out, that is a trip …. it should have been 10 minutes in the bin.”
Then when Katoa touched down late in the half, Rapana slid in to stop the try knees first.
“Extremely dangerous,” explained Parker. “Once again Katoa scores and they move on, but Jahrome Hughes at the end of the half brought it up with the ref – that is dangerous, it needs to be looked at.
“Rapana has come in, he leads with the leg, if he makes contact with his (Katoa’s forehead) that is dangerous contact.”
The fullback eventually found himself in the naughty corner, being sent to the sin bin for a ruck infringement late in the game.
Stormy
Roar Rookie
I agree with you, Arnab, we were a much more balanced side, on Sunday. Warbrick takes the high balls well, but lacks a lot in defence. He needs work & maturity to become a valuable edge player. Coates is still learning - it has taken him a very long time to develop this far. We need Welsh to get his timing right & Young T to correct his mistakes & we will have a team who can challenge. As long as they play with the same determination & purpose & we don't have injuries, we should go far into the finals.
Full Credit to the Boys
Roar Rookie
I am not married to sport like many are, so I can be discerning as to what I watch. But yes, I can't stand him. A man who would go on television and call a young man a 'weak gutted dog' for something he may or may not have done as a child and then have his bully boys back him up in the media, isn't my idea of enjoyable entertainment.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Jack is in the departure lounge mate - won't put body on the line and risk injury
Robbo
Roar Rookie
I feel that the raiders are headed for a rebuild 5 or 6 years. Welcome to my world
Robbo
Roar Rookie
I've got them in the 8 but not going far - the best of the rest
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Wow - sensitive much? You could just look away :stoked:
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately Ricky doesn't come across as a very nice person. I met him in a social environment and couldn't warm to him despite being amongst mutual acquaintances. His presser where he said "no disrespect I'm not in the mood for talking" is actually disrespect. He should get fined again as he might as well not have turned up. I can't see how that style of personality benefits anyone in the modern game including the club and the players. If that's Ricky bashing then I'll cop it
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Starling looks solid - I've been wondering why he doesn't get starting role
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
:thumbup: I could choke... Been lucky these last few weeks.. :) 3 rounds left unless it extends to finals.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
I know we have the wood on the Sharks - but we had the wood on the Storm in Melbourne as well. Who knows? They've come back and surprised us before this season against the Broncos and Souths. But jeez these big losses where they don't look as they've turned up must have Ricky rattled. You are hanging on to your lead in the tipping! Not long to go now. I got as high as 5th but my chances are pretty remote now.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I fancy them v Sharks last round. I think when the chips are on the line...
NQR
Roar Rookie
I do think the Raiders have exceeded expectations by being in the top 6 for this long. There are plenty of teams sitting lower that are rueing being out side the 8 at this point also.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Most teams are now playing the sort of footy aligned with the capabilities of their available cattle. The Bunnies are still lagging though. Title winning coaches like Sheens , Bennett and Stuart aren't looking very happy these days. I've seen happier looking people on death row. The Storm are very impressive after losing so many cattle and so are the Pennies. The Warriors are super impressive because they seem to be playing above their herds potential. Harry Grant is the type of player who wins multiple titles and I'm not ruling out him starting this year despite the Pennies apparent past the post status.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
The change that Kris made to the back 5 against the Tigers was remarkable. All of a sudden someone was making metres on the left edge and punching holes in the opposition defence. Mind you Croker did a better job than HSS did earlier in the season. I know Savage has had a couple of injuries and Jordie is close to retirement but you wonder what a back 5 of Savage, Rapana, Timoko, Kris and Cotric could achieve. I thought Savage was showing signs of settling in to the full back position in 2022. A season completely wasted for him. But yes - you wonder if the Raiders are capable of beating the Broncos and Sharks while carrying Croker. I'm a bit over all the sentimentality with Jarrod. The carryon and hype before his 300th game against the Warriors was ridiculous. They looked totally distracted. He's been a great servant but the team comes before the individual.
Full Credit to the Boys
Roar Rookie
I don't watch the Raiders because the live crosses to the the angry gum chewing Stuart turns me off. Perhaps he should be embarrassed that he can't motivate his team even when they are playing for a spot in the Top Four. Now that's embarrassing.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
The news about Jarrod Croker retiring could be difficult. This weekend they get the Bulldogs at home, so if he is fit, it has the potential to be a great farewell for him. but then the Raiders will have (in all likelihood) must win games against the Broncos at home and Sharks away. No matter how great and lovely a guy is, and Croker seems to be that, you can't carry a player no longer up to 1st grade standard, even a legend, when you are playing must win football. Maybe a Penrith could in their current set up, but not Canberra.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Wish I could share your optimism DPS. The five thrashings I've seen this season are very worrying. It hasn't been happening in the past 5 or 6 years. Often the Raiders would stay in the fight and either just win or just lose. To capitulate the way they have this season is really worrying. They should get over the Dogs this Sunday but if they lose to both the Broncos (home) and Sharks (away) - which is looking likely - I can't see them making the 8.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
That is why he was so annoyed. It wasn't that they lost, it was that they lost by so much that he couldn't even blame the officials. I think his " embarrassment" rant was planned from early in the second half as the start of his preparation to get his team up for next weekend. Because if they lose to the Bulldogs.... he will know a thing or two about being embarrassed.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Hi az - thanks for your comment. I'm honestly not fussed by the Ricky hate on here. Ricky doesn't help himself with some of his petulant performances. But I could understand his performance in the presser on Sunday. It was a horribly embarrassing performance against the Storm and there wasn't much you could say about it. I wouldn't hang around either. My reaction to Ricky changes a lot. Part of me rages at the limited attacking structures we seem to have. Its a pretty boring limited style that seems to rely on bits of individual brilliance. But the issues we have in the spine can help explain a lot of the Raiders problems.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
The Raiders have done pretty well to be sitting in 6th given their issues at 1, 9 and 6. Having a relatively soft draw helped as did their ability to close out games when it was tight. But the 5 thrashings they have copped this year was a sign that they couldn’t cope against some of the better teams with better attacking structures You wonder what attacking structures the Raiders have. A lot of it it looks off the cuff and unplanned. Ricky persisted with Kris at full back for virtually the whole season who did a serviceable job but he provided little in attack. Ricky virtually ignored Xavier Savage when he wasn’t injured. Kris isn’t a top shelf full back. Supporters still don’t know why Savage was not supported. Jack’s form has been horrible for most of the season. We were just shaking our heads at the game when he was throwing balls all over the place against the Tigers. He is simply not a 6. But is being paid money for an elite 6 – which he isn’t. And the 9 position is being filled by a bunch of guys who are really back up hookers. There is a huge gap between what they provide and what Josh Hodgson was providing at his peak. The Raiders have an elite forward pack but need to recruit some back rowers and a full back and 5/8. I suspect they will go down the road of blooding youth to do this with Chevy Stewart, Ethan Strange and Ethan Sanders but that is playing the longer game. Unless Ricky can attract some immediate replacements its looking like a possible painful rebuild.