Mal Meninga’s all-time Canberra Raiders side: Shock captaincy call as old secret revealed

[greeneyed]

Mal Meninga’s all-time Canberra Raiders side: Shock captaincy call as old secret revealed

Meninga named Peter Jackson as captain of his all-time team, despite ‘Jacko’ having never captained the Raiders in his 43 games for the club.

1. Gary Belcher
2. Noa Nadruku
3. Peter Jackson (c)
4. Ruben Wiki
5. Brett Mullins
6. Laurie Daley
7. Ricky Stuart
8. Glenn Lazarus
9. Steve Walters
10. Quentin Pongia
11. Ben Kennedy
12. David Furner
13. Brad Clyde

14. Josh Hodgson
15. John Bateman
16. Josh Papalii
17. Jason Croker

Read more: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 40fcb14727

[edwahu]

Hard to argue with that side other than excluding himself.

[-PJ-]

Ben Kennedy doesn't make anybody's all time Raiders side.

He just doesn't..

[greeneyed]

Normally, these line ups have some recency bias, but I think this team goes in the opposite direction. Papalii should certainly be in the starting team.

No John Ferguson, that's a surprise.

[Coastalraider]

Mal could name a McCrone/Orford halves pairing and I would still somehow agree with him...

[edwahu]

Ben Kennedy doesn't make anybody's all time Raiders side.

He just doesn't..

You throw Mal into center and Wiki would probably be back there. Still a bit harsh on Papalii though.

[-PJ-]

John Bateman, one season, missed a few games and made Mals side.

We love JBateman..get him up here.

It's pretty clear that Batemans first season has impressed the great man...and me !

We've struck gold with Bateman, so happy he landed here.

[Matt]

bench feels a bit like the bench is keeping the new crew happy, BUT, that 13 is stacked!
Just think about the guys who are missing...
Those from the 25 year dream team 25 man squad not above are:
Sam Backo
Gary Coyne
Chris O'Sullivan
John 'Chika' Ferguson
*Dave Furner*
Ashley Gilbert
Jason Croker
David Grant
Luke Davico
Ivan Henjak
Dean Lance
Kenny Nagas
Clinton Schifcofske
and of course Meninga himself.
Add in guys like Shillo, Tonguey, Fensom, Campo, Wighton, Whitehead, Sia, who are all held in very high regard in the capitol.

Edit: Cheers PJ. Im asleep at the wheel. * Furner was named.

[-PJ-]

Furners there Matt..

Time for a nap mate.

[-PJ-]

Mal could name a McCrone/Orford halves pairing and I would still somehow agree with him...

A 1 week ban Wattanobi, and I think you know why...

[Matt]

Furners there Matt..

Time for a nap mate.

hahahaha...
indeed

[-PJ-]

bench feels a bit like the bench is keeping the new crew happy, BUT, that 13 is stacked!
Just think about the guys who are missing...
Those from the 25 year dream team 25 man squad not above are:
Sam Backo
Gary Coyne
Chris O'Sullivan
John 'Chika' Ferguson
*Dave Furner*
Ashley Gilbert
Jason Croker
David Grant
Luke Davico
Ivan Henjak
Dean Lance
Kenny Nagas
Clinton Schifcofske
and of course Meninga himself.
Add in guys like Shillo, Tonguey, Fensom, Campo, Wighton, Whitehead, Sia, who are all held in very high regard in the capitol.

Edit: Cheers PJ. Im asleep at the wheel. * Furner was named.

There's some legends there Matt.

Jason Croker yes.

That bloke was a stud.

[-PJ-]

Hey Matt, Jason Croker made Mals bench.

I hope you're not operating machinery..

[Northern Raider]

Hard to argue with that side other than excluding himself.

Nah, Mal was an overrated hack. Borderline 1st grade level at best.

[-PJ-]

Hard to argue with that side other than excluding himself.

Nah, Mal was an overrated hack. Borderline 1st grade level at best.

Yeah..

What a bum.

[dubby]

Beauty of a team

I'm surprised to see Kennedy there

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[Matt]

Hey Matt, Jason Croker made Mals bench.

I hope you're not operating machinery..

Oh dear... Ive done a reverse Rabz

[afgtnk]

Papalii should definitely be in the starting team, and Chicka Ferguson should also be there.

Don't think Bateman deserves a spot after one season. For the side with Mal in it Wiki should be shifted to replace one of Kennedy or Furner.

[gerg]

I would rather have Wiki and Meninga in the centres with Jackson missing out, unfortunately. Papalii slightly ahead of Pongia and Brent Todd only just behind him. You could possibly have Mullins on the bench because of his versatility and Chicka on the wing. From a club point of view, rather than based on a players ability, you could argue for Dean Lance or Gary Coyne over Bateman/Kennedy.

Sent from my SM-G570F using Tapatalk

[Coastalraider]

Mal could name a McCrone/Orford halves pairing and I would still somehow agree with him...

A 1 week ban Wattanobi, and I think you know why...

See you next friday PJ, stay healthy.

Ill show myself out.

[BadnMean]

I would rather have Wiki and Meninga in the centres with Jackson missing out, unfortunately. Papalii slightly ahead of Pongia and Brent Todd only just behind him. You could possibly have Mullins on the bench because of his versatility and Chicka on the wing. From a club point of view, rather than based on a players ability, you could argue for Dean Lance or Gary Coyne over Bateman/Kennedy.

Sent from my SM-G570F using Tapatalk

I'd go with most of your changes.

For mine, Bateman can't be in after one season. Whitehead gets the spot.

Kennedy can go jump, Toots Snr into his spot. Coyne onto the bench (whitehead a similar player, both clever, skillful workhorses but Whitehead a bit more dynamic/impact imo).

I can only assume he left Chicka out due to his comments about a team that could compete in the modern day. People have this impression Noa was larger because he was Fijian, but they were both little men. I stood next to both of them as a teen, bumping into them at Bruce. Noa in his playing days and Chicka was in the satnd probably heading to a box (I was wearing my white Chicka jumper so he stopped to sign it). Both really the same size, Noa maybe looked stronger but Chicka used to drive people back in tackles once he got under them.

[dubby]

Noa wasn't big

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[edwahu]

Noa wasn't big

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Bloody strong though.

[BadnMean]

Noa wasn't big

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

That's what i just said

[greeneyed]

[Seiffert82]

I'm actually not at all surprised about Ben Kennedy. The bloke was an absolute stud. However, if you include Mal in that team, you possibly move Wiki into the second row over Kennedy.

Who cares though. It's an interesting insight into what Mal thought of guys he played with and coached over quite a long period of time. It's a hell of a team.

[The Green Hornet]

Which team would you pick to play against Mal's 13? I'll start with my backline...would be a hell of a matchup.

Schif
Nagas
Mal
BJ
Rapana
Campo

Throw in your half and the forwards, can't pick any of Mal's bench players either..feel free to change the backline.

[afgtnk]

Which team would you pick to play against Mal's 13? I'll start with my backline...would be a hell of a matchup.

Schif
Nagas
Mal
BJ
Rapana
Campo

Throw in your half and the forwards, can't pick any of Mal's bench players either..feel free to change the backline.

Nice idea. Mine:

Schifcofske
Chicka Ferguson
Meninga
Leilua
Rapana
Jason Smith
O'Sullivan
Shillington
Priddis
Lomax
Coyne
Whitehead
Lance

Interchange
Wighton
Backo
Todd
Learoyd-Lahrs

Coach: Stuart

Bit light in depth for halfback, second row, and hooker, which was really only a choice between Priddis and Woolford for me given Hodgson in the first side.

Front row rotation was hard - was also considering Vaughan, Davico, Grant, and Boyd. Went with TLL for the last spot because of his early ability to play second row and his destructiveness in peak form. Any of the older guys wanna weigh in?

[The Green Hornet]

Good side afgtnk, if we can settle on a team, we could ask Matt to do one of his match ups in preparation for next week!

I also struggled with halfback.
Anyone remember Phil Blake!? One of my fav all time players, only one season with us though. Gotta put him on my bench somehow

[BadnMean]

Good side afgtnk, if we can settle on a team, we could ask Matt to do one of his match ups in preparation for next week!

I also struggled with halfback.
Anyone remember Phil Blake!? One of my fav all time players, only one season with us though. Gotta put him on my bench somehow

Ideal #14 actually. Could cover anywhere in the backline, including genuine halves cover and also ideal as a dynamic sub to bring on to try and open a game up.

We brought him in during the period when Loz and Sticky had chronic hamstring/groin issues iirc.

[afgtnk]

Had a crack at a third side (not taking into consideration behaviour record/the way they left the club):

Dugan
Nagas
J. Monaghan
B. Ferguson
Vainikolo
K Walters
Blake
Grant
Woolford
Davico
Barnhill
Harrison
Tongue

Interchange
Campese
Vaughan
Boyd
Soliola

[The Green Hornet]

Another good side!
There would have to be a spot for Carney and Phil Graham somewhere in there.

[edwahu]

Which team would you pick to play against Mal's 13? I'll start with my backline...would be a hell of a matchup.

Schif
Nagas
Mal
BJ
Rapana
Campo

Throw in your half and the forwards, can't pick any of Mal's bench players either..feel free to change the backline.

Can I pick the years?

03 Schif
88 Chicka
12 Fergo
16 BJ
17 Rapana
08 Campo
88 O'Sullivan
10 Shillo
97 Priddis
94 Lomax
Whitehead from any year
89 Lance
06 Tongue
---------
98 Mclinden
09 TLL
00 Davico
11 Fensom

[afgtnk]

Another good side!
There would have to be a spot for Carney and Phil Graham somewhere in there.

Yeah I actually had Carney in there ahead of Walters, but changed it last second. Carney's got him on natural talent, but Walters had the better career and gained lot more big match experience.

Graham was one of my favourite outside backs but IMO he's a class below the guys I named. There's a number of guys to choose from - we seem to have had a lot of quality in depth from 1-5.

[The Green Hornet]

Fair call on Walters vs Carney. And yeah, given the choice Graham is just behind a few of our other centres. Mogg would have to be considered too.

Edwahu, nice team, but you have fergo and bj both ahead of Mal?