Not too phased about who gets the last bench spot but I really hope Stick goes with Guler and Horsburgh. Given he usually only plays one of his middles 10-20 minutes I think Horsburgh should play this role due to his aggression and work rate.
Really excited for this match, can't believe it's still 20 days away . I think if our pack can match their's then we will have too much class on the edges. Hopefully the spine can silence a few doubters as well.
Let's go.
If our pack can't match theirs god help us when we face the Cowboys
Not too phased about who gets the last bench spot but I really hope Stick goes with Guler and Horsburgh. Given he usually only plays one of his middles 10-20 minutes I think Horsburgh should play this role due to his aggression and work rate.
Really excited for this match, can't believe it's still 20 days away . I think if our pack can match their's then we will have too much class on the edges. Hopefully the spine can silence a few doubters as well.
Let's go.
If our pack can't match theirs god help us when we face the Cowboys
Not too phased about who gets the last bench spot but I really hope Stick goes with Guler and Horsburgh. Given he usually only plays one of his middles 10-20 minutes I think Horsburgh should play this role due to his aggression and work rate.
Really excited for this match, can't believe it's still 20 days away . I think if our pack can match their's then we will have too much class on the edges. Hopefully the spine can silence a few doubters as well.
Let's go.
If our pack can't match theirs god help us when we face the Cowboys
Yep. I think they will line up somewhat like this.
1. Gordon
2. Don
3. Peachey
4. Kelly
5. Sami/Lee
6. Roberts
7. Taylor
8. Boyd
9. Peats
10. Wallace
11. Proctor
12. James
13. Arrow
14. Brimson
15. Fotuaika
16. King
17. Hipgrave
Peachey always seems to have a blinder against us so he is a concern. IMO their money probably would've been better spent on a backrower rather than Boyd but I guess they've gone all in on their middle.
Not too phased about who gets the last bench spot but I really hope Stick goes with Guler and Horsburgh. Given he usually only plays one of his middles 10-20 minutes I think Horsburgh should play this role due to his aggression and work rate.
Really excited for this match, can't believe it's still 20 days away . I think if our pack can match their's then we will have too much class on the edges. Hopefully the spine can silence a few doubters as well.
Let's go.
If our pack can't match theirs god help us when we face the Cowboys
Can't agree at all. Forward pack where the Titans are strongest. Inconsistent halves and underwhelming backs are their biggest issues.
* The author assumes no responsibility for the topicality, correctness, completeness or quality of information provided.
LastRaider wrote: ↑February 25, 2019, 2:24 pm
I have no doubt Boyd is going to have the biggest game he has had in 2 years against us to prove the Raiders management wrong.
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good for him, maybe if he had big games regularly in that 2 years he would be here, let's be honest but the game has changed and i think you will see the big boppa like him and paulo less effective as the years go on
Sezer's Palace wrote:Yep. I think they will line up somewhat like this.
1. Gordon
2. Don
3. Peachey
4. Kelly
5. Sami/Lee
6. Roberts
7. Taylor
8. Boyd
9. Peats
10. Wallace
11. Proctor
12. James
13. Arrow
14. Brimson
15. Fotuaika
16. King
17. Hipgrave
Peachey always seems to have a blinder against us so he is a concern. IMO their money probably would've been better spent on a backrower rather than Boyd but I guess they've gone all in on their middle.
Over the years our side has sucked so bad at exploiting the weak links in opposition teams. But dear God you'd have to throw Tapine or Whitehead at Roberts in every set of 6. He is an awful defender.
Canberra Raiders ruck defence must improve: Co-captain Jarrod Croker
Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker says the biggest issue facing the side after their two pre-season trials is lack of steel and execution in their ruck defence.
"A lot of positives to take out of it but leaking 20 points in the first half of two games is pretty disappointing so we've got a lot to work on still," Croker said. "In that first half I think we were too loose around the middle. We spoke at half-time about tightening up around the ruck and making them go around us a little.
The heat and lack of match fitness will impact Boyd's game more than most but he'll still tear us to pieces if our line speed is as slow as it was in both our trials.
Not too phased about who gets the last bench spot but I really hope Stick goes with Guler and Horsburgh. Given he usually only plays one of his middles 10-20 minutes I think Horsburgh should play this role due to his aggression and work rate.
Really excited for this match, can't believe it's still 20 days away . I think if our pack can match their's then we will have too much class on the edges. Hopefully the spine can silence a few doubters as well.
Let's go.
If our pack can't match theirs god help us when we face the Cowboys
Can't agree at all. Forward pack where the Titans are strongest. Inconsistent halves and underwhelming backs are their biggest issues.
You can't agree that if the Raiders struggle against the Titans then they will be in real trouble against the heavier Cowboys pack.... fair enough
Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker says the biggest issue facing the side after their two pre-season trials is lack of steel and execution in their ruck defence.
"A lot of positives to take out of it but leaking 20 points in the first half of two games is pretty disappointing so we've got a lot to work on still," Croker said. "In that first half I think we were too loose around the middle. We spoke at half-time about tightening up around the ruck and making them go around us a little.
100% agree with your comments about our defensive efforts in the trials JC. Not good enough. Full marks to you on your kick chase performance in the match against the Dogs as well. I'm still not a fan of the proposed changes. I don't think the use of Jack in the front line did much for our overall defensive effort. Four tries put on us in the first half against the Dogs. Poor.
I would pick (and I know Sticky won't):
Jack
CNK
BJ
JC
Nick
Sezer
Sam Williams
Lui
Hodgo
Papa
EW
Tapine
Bateman L.
Havili
Sia (I want his impact when he comes on)
Guler
Horsburgh (If form counts he should be in. He will make his NRL debut from the bench)
This first game against the Titans is going to be harder than we all think. Titans are on the up, they have a good middle that can match us no worries and our edge defence is still struggling which the will target.
RedRaider wrote: ↑February 25, 2019, 8:19 pm
100% agree with your comments about our defensive efforts in the trials JC. Not good enough. Full marks to you on your kick chase performance in the match against the Dogs as well. I'm still not a fan of the proposed changes. I don't think the use of Jack in the front line did much for our overall defensive effort. Four tries put on us in the first half against the Dogs. Poor.
I would pick (and I know Sticky won't):
Jack
CNK
BJ
JC
Nick
Sezer
Sam Williams
Lui
Hodgo
Papa
EW
Tapine
Bateman L.
Havili
Sia (I want his impact when he comes on)
Guler
Horsburgh (If form counts he should be in. He will make his NRL debut from the bench)
Not too phased about who gets the last bench spot but I really hope Stick goes with Guler and Horsburgh. Given he usually only plays one of his middles 10-20 minutes I think Horsburgh should play this role due to his aggression and work rate.
Really excited for this match, can't believe it's still 20 days away . I think if our pack can match their's then we will have too much class on the edges. Hopefully the spine can silence a few doubters as well.
Let's go.
If our pack can't match theirs god help us when we face the Cowboys
Not too phased about who gets the last bench spot but I really hope Stick goes with Guler and Horsburgh. Given he usually only plays one of his middles 10-20 minutes I think Horsburgh should play this role due to his aggression and work rate.
Really excited for this match, can't believe it's still 20 days away . I think if our pack can match their's then we will have too much class on the edges. Hopefully the spine can silence a few doubters as well.
Let's go.
If our pack can't match theirs god help us when we face the Cowboys
James, Wallace, Boyd, Arrow is a really strong middle + Fotuaika is underrated.
It will be a good test to see how our more mobile pack goes against a pack with a lot of size.
James plays on an edge though which I still think is very odd.
He's a shell of himself on the edge compared to the middle. For some reason Brennan still hasn't figured this out yet. Hopefully he doesn't by Round 1.
James looks like he might be out through injury anyway. He's likely in the second row due to terrible 2nd choice options. Hipgrave (another middle out in the 2nd row) was terrible in defense out there last year. Cartwright is also terrible in defense. Really they hoped he would lock down an edge so Cartwright / Arrow / Proctor was the starting 2nd row.
They really should have spent their 600k Boyd money on a second rower.
Green eyed Mick wrote: ↑February 24, 2019, 11:24 am
Bateman will be ready to play 80 if Ricky needs him to. Hopefully whatever injury kept him out of the trial isn't impacting his training too much.
I actually have a bit of a good feeling. I think our line defence will be much improved, and I don't have huge concerns about the pack - I actually think it's a sight better than last years pack with Paulo and Boyd combining for 45 minutes, most of which was sucking in the big ones.
Titans are a good test for us up first - they occupy a similar space that we do, a fair bit of talent, a lot of blokes with something to prove. Lets go.
Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is just the train that's about to hit you.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad still working to be Canberra Raiders No.1
He's got big expectations of himself, but Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad refuses to rest on his laurels that he's done enough to nail down the Canberra Raiders' No.1 jersey.
"There's a few boys in contention for the fullback spot. Anything can happen, that's the nature of our game, anything can happen," he said. "[I'll] go back to training and review, and I'll keep trying to train well and see what happens round one."
A call from former mentor Andrew McFadden, currently the Raiders assistant coach, set the course for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad’s journey to Canberra.
“He (McFadden) just gave me a call and said that there might be an opportunity here if you’re keen. I said yes. I was fully intent on staying in New Zealand,” he said. “I was wondering how things were going to shape up for me being at the Warriors and not really knowing what was going to happen this year because at the time I was coming off contract.”
. I think if our pack can match their's then we will have too much class on the edges. Hopefully the spine can silence a few doubters as well.
