Cronulla Sharks vs Canberra Raiders: NRL live scores, blog

Gladly Taree - about a year away from retirement - and would provide advice for nothing. I've only been following league properly for 20 years when I moved to Canberra for work. I played AFL and cricket until my early 20s so I'm not sure I'd qualify. But would gladly be part of the a voice of the Raiders supporters. I'm not alone. You should checkout The Greenhouse website - plenty of good comments on there from Raiders supporters. We can all see what the problems are but Ricky seems to live in his own bubble - immune from criticism or accountability. A bit of feedback from others should be part of his performance agreement.

Geoff, you live down there. Any spare time available. Ricky could use you advice. You'd do it for free wouldn't you.

Would love to be positive Taree but the only way we are going to get close to Newcastle is play like we did today. And hope we can beat them something like 20-18. We just don't have the creativity to blow them off the park with a big score. Like you I thought we played really well for the first 60 minutes but when Seb Kris went off I think the writing was on the wall. Ricky needs to inject some attacking flair into this squad. Put Xavier Savage back to full back and leave him there. Give young Ethan Strange a crack at 5/8. It sounds like he has some great skills. Get some pace into the back line. Recruit some athletic back rowers and if they are available a 5/8 and a full back. There is some hope. The NSW Cup is in the finals. The first grade team has a real crack in most of the games they play so its not attitude. Croker is leaving so we no longer have to carry him. We need more in attack. Boring grindball and bleeding green won't cut it against the better attacking teams.

Not sure what was going on there - don't think he is injured which makes you wonder if Ricky knows what he is doing with the bench. Usually he flogs his main props in Tapine and Papalii and some of the bench forwards get very little time. So this was a change from the norm.

Geoff, was in Melbourne seeing the son, lucky it was an AFL free weekend. Went into a Pub in Fitzroy & talked them into turning the Womans AFL over to the Raiders game, they wouldn't do it until 4pm sharp, but it was a fair effort by the Raiders, they really tried. They were a but unlucky in the first half. If Rapana scored & the drop goal went over it may have changed the vibe. You are dead right about the Raiders attack. The Sharks 1st try in the second half was how the Raiders have to play. I don't hold much hope up in Newcastle, but you never know. We need to be attack focused & the defence will take care of itself. If you are unpredictable in attack by offloading & spreading the ball continuously the oppositions defence can't set & tyre more quickly. So by focusing on attack you affect the defensive structure of the opposition. If we can change that in 7 days we are a chance.

If he’s not injured ( Odin have mercy),he’s being saved.

The rest of the forwards were pretty good but you wonder why Tapine didn't come on straight after half time. Surely your gun forward play the most minutes. Another Ricky brain explosion.

You've got Buckleys if he's only got 33 in him next week.

That was weird - 33 minutes according to NRL.com - Mooney 40, Saulo 32, Mariota 37 and Guler 42. I'm all for sharing the load more but Tapine is one of the best props in the world. He should be getting the most minutes of all the Raiders props - 50 at least.

Yeah let’s say significantly better :stoked:

Good effort Arnie :thumbup:

You've done marathon duties & done them well. Thanks for a great season calling, Arnab.

Mate we are going to need it facing a red hot Knights team away. Don't like our chances. It was a great contest in the first half. But it wasn't much of a contest after Kris was sent off. Should be a great game next week with the Sharks up against the Roosters. I know the Roosters have shown some form of late but I reckon the Sharks can do it. Hopefully Tracey pulls up OK.

A lot better, I think.

Good luck for next week Geoff

Disappointing second half by the Raiders. Once Kris was sent off there was no coming back. No malice in what he did but no question it was a send off. Can't question the grit, determination and effort by the Raiders but you need more than that to win these sorts of games. Lots of work needing to be done in the off season in terms of attacking structures. Time for a new attack coach. Its weird that Ricky played in such an exciting attacking team but he can't seem to get this team to click in attack. They simply aren't scoring enough points.

I'm going for Brisbane, NZ, Canberra, and double forfeit.

I felt the sharks were already getting on top - Williams straight through the middle just before the send off…. and their defence never looked like breaking - still will need to be better next week

The Energizer Bunny has nothing on him. Machine....