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Joined September 2014
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A Canberra boy and former junior Rugby League referee. Raiders and NSW fan. Also lifelong lover of Test cricket. Used to bowl kind of like a right-arm Paul Adams.
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In what should surprise absolutely nobody, the NRL's referees are in the spotlight following some controversial decisions in the first week of the finals.…
We've been through two thoroughly entertaining weeks of the Four Nations, and at this stage, absolutely nobody's position in the final is safe. Neither…
It's an argument as old as finals footy - is the week off in the finals a help or hindrance? Some will cite the…
I expect Chevy Stewart will have a crack at the Raiders number 1 jersey by year’s end. Unlike Savage, he’s grown up playing fullback and doesn’t need to learn the basics as much. Stewart has a lot of wraps on him, but the Raiders don’t want to rush him into firsts.
So far (with the exception of last night’s debacle) Savage has been very good on the wing, and I think that’s where he’ll be long term.
NRL Round 4 Talking Points: A month is done - let’s make some hard calls
Can’t say much about Arthur, but as far as Stuart goes I’ve said that he could shoot someone in the middle of Civic and the Raiders wouldn’t move him on.
He is something of a beneficiary of the perception that nobody wants to come to Canberra. Both in terms of reducing expectations on his team, and in terms of seriously narrowing the range of potential replacement coaches.
Two NRL coaches, 20 seasons between them - and bugger all to show for it
Honestly, with what the Raiders served up on Saturday the Tigers could easily win that one…
Round 22 Talking Points: The three tiers of contenders trying to keep pace with Panthers and Broncos
The Dragons made inroads down that edge in the first half, too. They just didn’t finish then off.
Can’t imagine that the Wighton to lock and Frawley at 6 experiment will be repeated.
ANALYSIS: The Timoko show makes it six on the spin for Raiders - but Ricky fumes after Dragons comeback
Sharks by heaps
Warriors by enough
Melbourne to show that the Panthers will need Cleary in the big games.
Raiders with SFA confidence, first time I’ve been back in Canberra since January so wouldn’t want a loss there.
Cows by heaps
Broncos by heaps
Bulldogs off the bye and at home.
Manly with a big DCE performance against the struggling Chooks.
The Roar’s NRL expert tips and predictions Round 18: League supports noble cause as beanies bring awareness for brain cancer
Wish I was half as confident about the Raiders as all of you are. No Papa, and the return of Tino and Mo for the Titans worries me a lot.
The Roar’s NRL expert tips and predictions Round 18: League supports noble cause as beanies bring awareness for brain cancer
If either Fittler or the NSWRL hierarchy has any respect for the jersey he won’t be coach for game 3.
Better to let a replacement come in with new ideas and start to implement them now.
Freddie’s Cooked: How tactical blunders, selection mistakes and a failure to learn doomed the Blues boss
If you took a poll of 1000 random NSW fans, and asked whether they’d rather see the Blues win Origin or their NRL team win the comp, I don’t you’d get more than 40 who would prefer to win Origin. Do the same in Qld, and you’d see almost all of them say they’d rather win Origin.
The two States priorities are completely different, from the ground up. I don’t think that can be changed.
Freddie’s Cooked: How tactical blunders, selection mistakes and a failure to learn doomed the Blues boss
He won’t, though. Unless NSW sack the coach after game 2.
Round 16 Talking Points: Maroons deserve rare favouritism - but Blues can cause upset, unsung heroes step up for clubs
If the Eels and Sharks results the week before Origin teams were picked had been flipped, Moses would still be NSW halfback. Fittler wasn’t picking Hynes unless he had no other choice.
If Qld win this by less than 30 the integrity unit should be all over it…
Round 16 Talking Points: Maroons deserve rare favouritism - but Blues can cause upset, unsung heroes step up for clubs
If they hit the beers before kick-off this might be close…
Losing Latrell last thing Fittler needs as battered Blues try to regroup for must-win Origin showdown
If Qld don’t win by at least 20 they need a long hard look at themselves…
Losing Latrell last thing Fittler needs as battered Blues try to regroup for must-win Origin showdown
Surely, given that we’ve only had one player make it to 300 for the Raiders, Jason Croker would be the obvious choice?
NRL week 15 preview talking points: What’s your definition of normal?
The only reason NSW are ever favourites is that there are more punters south of the border, therefore more money on NSW.
Odds for tonight should be Qld 1.30 or less.
The Roar's State of Origin expert tips and predictions: NSW v Queensland, Men and Women's Game 1
Qld 13+. Lock it in.
I don’t see how NSW were favourites before this, and with Mitchell out and Qld’s best player last year in…
Stephen 'Bradbury' Crichton in hot seat with Latrell out of Origin but Fittler certain Cleary will play
The problem we have is that the NRL’s most prominent administrator either part of that lunatic fringe, or is at least desperate to appeal to it.
RTS - Return To Sender: What Tuivasa-Sheck's Warriors comeback really proves in mythical code wars
If you’re good enough to get in range and kick the field goal from the kick-off, you deserve to win. Alternatively, if you’re poor enough to let your opponents do that, you deserve to lose.
NRL Round 8 preview talking points: Bin everyone, don’t let a coin toss decide a game and remember, sport is not war
Issue with that is the extra byes around Origin. But having the first 17 rounds excluding Origin played so everyone plays everyone else once in that time should be manageable.
NRL Round 7 preview talking points: Liabilities, big-time injuries and confusing fixturing
As a Raiders fan, I am grateful to the Tigers for being the only team likely to keep us from the abject humiliation of the wooden spoon. I still think there’s more potential for all of Wests’ recruits to get it together than the Raiders.
NRL Round 6 preview talking points: Are you fighting or quitting?
Reason to hope Parramatta lose: as Joe points out, the Raiders would have the longest Premiership drought going if they win.
Reason to hope Penrith lose: The Panthers would have 4 Premierships to our 3.
Wish the Cows or Rabbits had got up…
Stuck in neutral? Three reasons to cheer – or jeer – Parramatta in the NRL grand final
The three teams who could realistically finish 5th, and play the Raiders (touch wood) in week one are the Storm, Rabbitohs and Roosters. We’ve beaten all three this year.
Obviously finals are a different beast, especially if we end up playing the Chooks, given that our win was without Origin players. But there is some reason for optimism there.
Matt Nable means September (and the order of the top eight doesn't mean anything)
When they set the schedule in November, the Knights and Titans were both coming off finals appearances in 2021. Setting that as the Sunday game would have made sense, but both teams’ collapse through this year has wrecked that.
NRL Round 24 talking points: Some legs are starting to get real heavy
The three teams the Raiders are chasing all have tough games next week (Broncos v Parra; Souths v Cowboys; Roosters v Storm), and with the Rabbits and Chooks playing in round 25, winning the last two might be enough.
Of course, being the Raiders, we will most likely scrape home against Manly and the Tigers…
Knightmare averted: Raiders come back from dead to keep season alive in Newcastle nail-biter
If they thought that was in the club’s best interests, they wouldn’t have just extended his contract. Unless there’s a backlash from sponsors (and I doubt it), they won’t do anything.
Is Ricky Stuart a weak, gutted coach or an old dog unable to learn any new tricks?
Yeah, it’s always the rounds that look straightforward that end up as a tipping disaster.
Bunnies desperate, even if Demetriou goes there will be a few looking for new clubs under a new coach in 2025.
Roosters have a great record against the Knights.
Manly look capable of beating anyone on their day.
Dragons very inconsistent, but if this week is one of their good weeks they could easily win.
Hopefully the one game everyone has right is the Raiders, but I’ve been supporting the Raiders long enough to be wary at all times…
The Roar's NRL expert tips and predictions: Round 6 - battle for Brisbane, Roosters written off, will Demetriou survive?