2019 Rd 2 V Storm: Teams and Previews *Teams p1*

[hrundi89]

Smokescreen for sure...

Get the Storm to build a game plan with him there then pull out at the last minute.

Or not...

[SeeBee101]

What the...Thought he would be back between rounds 4-8, not the 2nd!!! Crazy!

[LimeGreenMachine]

NRL PHYSIO

Jordan Rapana is named to return this week, 4 months and 1 week post shoulder reconstruction. Much earlier than initial recovery estimate from the club (Rd11-13), but fits the usual expectation of 4-6 months return to play

[Woodgers]

Unbelievable in for us. What a boost if he is back and 100% ready.

[kona_dream]

I really hope this is not a smokescreen to protect that right side.

[Grün Maschine]

did simonnson pick up a knock or get cramping just?
would he have waited another week if bailey was 100%

anyways they seem to always give worse case scenarios for recoveries

[Crusader]

surely this cant be right. wouldn't the Raiders be fined because NRL compensated for his injury????

[Sid]

I didn’t know Rapana had been in contact training ?

[LimeGreenMachine]

surely this cant be right. wouldn't the Raiders be fined because NRL compensated for his injury????

There was no compensation , we didnt use it . And for this reason

[PerthRaider86]

Rapana has been on Instagram playing golf. So I assumed he wasn't that far off

[greeneyed]

Jordan Rapana's return bolsters Canberra Raiders ahead of the Storm

He's back baby! Jordan Rapana's famed healing powers have come to the fore yet again, with the Canberra Raiders winger returning from a shoulder reconstruction nine weeks ahead of schedule. It's a massive boost for the Green Machine ahead of taking on NRL benchmark Melbourne Storm at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/ ... 515e3.html

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-r ... 010dce715e

[El_Capitano]

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[Green Taipan]

Hope they are not rushing him too early. Simonsson went well last week but there is a slight jump in class on Friday to contend with.

[Mr. Snrub]

This will be a miracle, ohhh it is a miracle!

[Raider47]

Another noteworthy aspect of this team selection is the complete non-selection of Luke Bateman.

[Green eyed Mick]

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That sums up my reaction

[CJ42]

That’s absolutely delightful. So we are full strength now.

[Northern Raider]

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That sums up my reaction

I think I peed a little.

[BVRaider]

Had a strange feeling Rapana would be named this week but I was thinking in the extended squad with an outside chance of playing. I'm ecstatic that he's back so early but I hope he's bought in to the teams calmer approach to playing and just settles back in to his role. I've got steam pouring out of my ears with the amount of hot takes I took out of the Titans game, it's refreshing to watch us play smart and controlled football without taking the lazy option like previous seasons and I look forward to that continuing this week and hopefully for the rest of the season.

[RedRaider]

Welcome back Rapa. A tough first game up against the Storm. Addo-Carr is like lightning and very evasive. Smith, Croft and Munster will be testing him under the high ball. He has had no trial games to ease in 2019. But everyone has such justified faith in his ability. Go Rapa.

[Sid]

This has probably been mentioned, but can we have confirmation on how to pronounce Horsburgh?
I noticed commentators were pronouncing it Hors-Burrough/Hors-Brah, but there's no 2nd 'o' there, so I would've thought it'd be a silent 'h' at the end.. so Hors-burg



'

[Makaveli]

Another noteworthy aspect of this team selection is the complete non-selection of Luke Bateman.

Injured maybe, not named for Mounties either

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[Crusader]

This will be a miracle, ohhh it is a miracle!

recovery by Rapana......recovrery again by rapana...............( then you come in)

[greeneyed]

Jordan Rapana's return bolsters Canberra Raiders ahead of the Storm

He's back baby! Jordan Rapana's famed healing powers have come to the fore yet again, with the Canberra Raiders winger returning from a shoulder reconstruction nine weeks ahead of schedule. Meanwhile Jack Wighton only had praise for the man who slotted into his former No. 1 jersey.

"Positionally, for someone who came two weeks out from the competition, he was unreal," Wighton said.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/ ... 515e3.html

Jack Wighton overcomes nerves to make seamless shift to Canberra Raiders halves

It had been 273 days since Jack Wighton had played in the NRL and Canberra's new five-eighth admitted to extra nerves entering last week's first-round clash with the Titans.

"I was a little bit nervous to get that one out of the way as it has been a little while, so it was good to get back out there," Wighton said.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/03/19/can ... ve-eighth/

Raiders' Wighton battles comeback nerves: https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/raiders-wi ... 6e6b#close

[Sid]

seems rare for any side to have a full strength side.. would be interesting to know the last time Raiders had one, would have to go back to 2017 given Wighton and Hodgson only played 1 game together last year and Rapana was out with a hamstring injury for that one.

[Green_Hammock]

UNBELIEVABLE! I'm so excited to have Raps back!!

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[greeneyed]

Canberra Raiders' Melbourne Storm record no beast of burden for John Bateman

It's the team the Canberra Raiders struggle with the most, but John Bateman is unburdened by the weight of their history against the Melbourne Storm.

"They're a good side, they've got some world-class players. It's not a burden over my head, losing against them or having this record against them. I'm looking forward to going out there and playing my own rugby, and everyone else will be doing the same."

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/ ... 515e4.html

VIDEO: Hear from Canberra Raiders John Bateman, Jack Wighton, Corey Horsburgh and Bailey Simonsson after the win over the Titans: http://ow.ly/lVDV30o6gqZ #NRL #WeAreRaiders

[raiderskater]

I don't know that I like this at all. I'm worried we're rushing him...and against those filthy grub Storm...who will unquestionably target that shoulder and probably give it a twist or two...Simonssen did just fine...

[PerthRaider86]

Another noteworthy aspect of this team selection is the complete non-selection of Luke Bateman.

AMEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Botman]

On the Guler issue- it’s up to him to force his way in now.

In the first month or two Ricky faced the risk of a prop bench rotation with 3 nrl games between them if he picked Guler, Sutton &Horsburg...

Too much risk when we have a known quantity of reliable service here in Lui.

I agree Guler is a good prospect but Horsburg appears the more aggressive and dynamic at this point, plus Guler is contracted longer. I’m fine with the call at this point.

I do hope to see Guler get a look in after the inevitable injury/suspension/origin and hopefully make himself undroppable so Lui or Sutton need to aim up.

I get it. And cool, but we did this dance before, and it wasnt worth it then and it's not worth it now.
Lui is a known quantity and that quantity isn't a shade on what Gruler could give us. This the side of sports and roster building that we've go to get a handle on. Lui is what in other sports would be called a "progress stopper". That being he's better than your young guy NOW and so he gets the minutes, but because of that, you never get the chance to develop your young guys. We've got him locked up too, he's not going to get head hunted anywhere else like a 21 year old middle is. We need to show a commitment to Gruler, and continue to develop him.

Changing a winning team is hard, and Lui isnt doing a bad job, so that's even harder. But at some point we have to think strategically.
Is the difference between Lui and Gruler (minimal at best) worth the risks? IMO it's not. Lui is a dime a dozen. Gruler's upside is rare to find.

[magoo]

On the Guler issue- it’s up to him to force his way in now.

In the first month or two Ricky faced the risk of a prop bench rotation with 3 nrl games between them if he picked Guler, Sutton &Horsburg...

Too much risk when we have a known quantity of reliable service here in Lui.

I agree Guler is a good prospect but Horsburg appears the more aggressive and dynamic at this point, plus Guler is contracted longer. I’m fine with the call at this point.

I do hope to see Guler get a look in after the inevitable injury/suspension/origin and hopefully make himself undroppable so Lui or Sutton need to aim up.

I get it. And cool, but we did this dance before, and it wasnt worth it then and it's not worth it now.
Lui is a known quantity and that quantity isn't a shade on what Gruler could give us. This the side of sports and roster building that we've go to get a handle on. Lui is what in other sports would be called a "progress stopper". That being he's better than your young guy NOW and so he gets the minutes, but because of that, you never get the chance to develop your young guys. We've got him locked up too, he's not going to get head hunted anywhere else like a 21 year old middle is. We need to show a commitment to Gruler, and continue to develop him.

Changing a winning team is hard, and Lui isnt doing a bad job, so that's even harder. But at some point we have to think strategically.
Is the difference between Lui and Gruler (minimal at best) worth the risks? IMO it's not. Lui is a dime a dozen. Gruler's upside is rare to find.

Well said, totally agree

[Rickmando]

Love some Jordy Raps... he will be right.

The surgeons tighten up shoulder reco’s HARD - often the limiting factor in returning to sport is the shoulder is too stiff, rather than too loose. He will have had to hit a certain range and strength levels for them to throw him back in, he’ll be cherry ripe.

[BadnMean]

On the Guler issue- it’s up to him to force his way in now.

In the first month or two Ricky faced the risk of a prop bench rotation with 3 nrl games between them if he picked Guler, Sutton &Horsburg...

Too much risk when we have a known quantity of reliable service here in Lui.

I agree Guler is a good prospect but Horsburg appears the more aggressive and dynamic at this point, plus Guler is contracted longer. I’m fine with the call at this point.

I do hope to see Guler get a look in after the inevitable injury/suspension/origin and hopefully make himself undroppable so Lui or Sutton need to aim up.

I get it. And cool, but we did this dance before, and it wasnt worth it then and it's not worth it now.
Lui is a known quantity and that quantity isn't a shade on what Gruler could give us. This the side of sports and roster building that we've go to get a handle on. Lui is what in other sports would be called a "progress stopper". That being he's better than your young guy NOW and so he gets the minutes, but because of that, you never get the chance to develop your young guys. We've got him locked up too, he's not going to get head hunted anywhere else like a 21 year old middle is. We need to show a commitment to Gruler, and continue to develop him.

Changing a winning team is hard, and Lui isnt doing a bad job, so that's even harder. But at some point we have to think strategically.
Is the difference between Lui and Gruler (minimal at best) worth the risks? IMO it's not. Lui is a dime a dozen. Gruler's upside is rare to find.

I agree. The key part of my post was saying for a month or so- until Sutton is bedded in (he's experienced enough if he makes the transition, if that makes sense) or a natural opportunity pops up through the aforesaid causes. A good start to the season is key right now and 3 rookies on the bench vs Storm and Cowboys isn't a wise move. Play the first month then take a look and get him in.

[Botman]

Yeah, that is fair enough. Hopefully that's what it is.
I've seen a bit in Gruler i like.

[greeneyed]

Guler has to be in, sooner rather than later. The coach might be wanting to get a good month or so under the team's belt before risking another young player. I hope so anyway.