Top fives 2020

[greeneyed]

As we count down to the end of 2020, we will again be counting down the top five Canberra Raiders backs, forwards, players, wins of the year and more!

Today, the Canberra Raiders top five backs of 2020.

Do you agree? What's your 5 to 1?

Number 5



This year, Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker became the fifth highest point scorer in NRL history. In the Round 16 clash with the Bulldogs, he overtook Jason Taylor to take his place in the top five. He now has the point scoring records of Andrew Johns and Johnathan Thurston in his sights. He has to score just 18 points to match Johns and 64 points to match Thurston. There is every prospect that next season, he could become one of the three top point scorers in the code's history in Australia Read more

Number 4



In 2019, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was a revelation. He almost started the season as "Charzne who?". But he ended it as one of the top fullbacks in the NRL. He was voted the Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Best Back, with a Grand Final appearance and a Kiwis jersey to his name. That was always going to be a tough act to follow. It certainly wasn't a case of "second year syndrome", but his form in 2020 was a touch off his break out year. Read more

Number 3



In 2020, Nick Cotric probably had his best season since his rookie year of 2017 - when he was named Dally M Rookie of the Year and shared in the Fans' Choice Player of the Year award. He spent a lot of time at centre in 2019, but this year coach Ricky Stuart was firm in his belief that wing is Cotric's best position. And 2020 proved Stuart's assessment to be correct. Read more

Number 2



The Raiders decided early in 2019 that they needed to move in a different direction at half back. Wigan's English representative George Williams was very deliberately targeted, with the aim of lifting the threat on offer in the halves. The negotiations took an age, with the Raiders having to fork out a large transfer fee to his English club. But the Raiders eventually got their man. Read more

Number 1



Jack Wighton has made a stunning transformation in the past two years. From fullback to five eighth. To representative player. To Clive Churchill Medalist. To Meninga Medalist. To Dally M Medalist, the NRL Player of the Year in 2020. He shared this year's Meninga Medal with Josh Papalii, before outpointing hot favourite Nathan Cleary in the Dally M count. He's just the third Canberra player to become a Dally M Medalist, with Laurie Daley being the last Raider to do it, a quarter of a century ago. Throw in the 2020 Dally M Five eighth of the Year award, and that's an impressive list of achievements. Read more

[greeneyed]

As we count down to the end of 2020, we're counting down the top five Canberra Raiders backs, forwards, players, wins of the year and more!

Today, the Canberra Raiders top five forwards of 2020.

Do you agree? What's your 5 to 1?

Number 5



Dunamis Lui made 20 appearances for the Raiders in 2020, 15 at starting prop and five off the bench. He was dropped from the top 17 after the Round 5 loss to the Tigers, but was brought back for the Round 9 clash with the Storm - with Sia Soliola, Emre Guler and Corey Horsburgh all on the sidelines with serious injuries. To be frank, before he was dropped he was not playing well - and had simply been overtaken in the pecking order by some of the younger props. He returned a different player. During the injury crisis, not only did Lui lift his on field contributions, the reserved prop became one of the leaders of the pack off the field. At the end of the season, he was ultimately rewarded with selection in the Queensland Maroons squad and an Origin debut. Read more

Number 4



Hudson Young had a controversial debut season in 2019. He made 12 first grade appearances, but was suspended twice for eye gouging, putting him on the sidelines for a total of 13 weeks. He served five of those weeks at the start of the 2020 season... and promptly proceeded to put all that behind him. He appeared in every subsequent Raiders match of the year, six starting in the second row, two at prop, two at lock and eight off the bench. He impressed in whatever position he was asked to play. It was in the second row early in the season, with John Bateman unavailable. It was mostly in the middle after that, including at starting prop in the finals games against the Roosters and the Storm. Read more

Number 3



Elliott Whitehead appeared in 22 of 23 Raiders games this season, starting in each of them in the second row. I rated him 6.6/10 during the course of the season, but he finished fifth for total points, not far behind my top two players, Josh Papalii and Jack Wighton. For the first time, he shared in the Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Player of the Year - with Papalii, Wighton and George Williams - in an incredible four way tie. Read more

Number 2



Joe Tapine made 21 appearances for the Raiders in 2020 - and probably produced his best ever season in green. He started in the second row in five of the opening six rounds, but then moved into the middle. He started at lock in the final seven games, and made the position his own. He started in 14 games, eight at lock, five in the second row, one at prop - and came off the bench seven times. Read more

Number 1



In 2018, not so long ago really, Josh Papalii was dropped to "reserve grade". He subsequently moved into the middle, and has now won the Meninga Medal and Fans' Choice Player of the Year for three seasons in a row. In 2020, he shared the Meninga Medal with Jack Wighton and was one of four players who shared in the Fans' Choice Award. This season he was finally recognised as the Dally M Prop of the Year - and was awarded the Dally M Tackle of the Year. He was, based on the votes of his NRL peers in the 2020 RLPA Awards, one of the top five players in the game. He finished the season with Origin selection for the Queensland Maroons, no doubt the first forward picked. Read more

[BJ]

Good review and spot on selections of the best 5. However, Swap Lui and Hudson Young’s positions for mine.

[greeneyed]

As we count down to the end of 2020, we're counting down the top five Canberra Raiders backs, forwards, players, wins of the year and more!

Today, the Canberra Raiders top five wins of 2020.

Do you agree? What's your 5 to 1?

Number 5



2020 Round 20. Canberra Raiders 38 - Cronulla Sharks 28. It might not have been 80 minutes of the best football... but it sure was fun. Canberra coach Ricky Stuart rested the majority of his stars from the final round of the regular season. The team he selected had an average age of 23, with an average of 49 NRL games experience. Take out the 200 odd appearances of the 34 year old Sia Soliola and those numbers would have been even lower. There were three debutants in the team. There were four other rookies. There were five players all up who hadn't played an NRL game in the 2020 season. The Rookie Raiders needed to win to keep Canberra's slim chance of a top four finish alive. They were not expected to win, but they started on fire. They were full of energy, enthusiasm and attacking brilliance. Forwards like Dunamis Lui and Sia Soliola helped lay the platform, and the backs soon took over. The Raiders scored the first try of the match - something they had not done in two months - and went on to score a total of seven.

Number 4



2020 Round 11. Canberra Raiders 18 - South Sydney Rabbitohs 12. It was gritty, it was gutsy. It was played in slippery, dewy conditions, and then pouring rain. Both teams were stricken by injury, and there was more suffering to unfold for both sides during the match, disrupting them further. In the second half, the Rabbitohs were camped in Raiders' territory for set after set after set. But Canberra's rock solid defence held South Sydney scoreless for the 40 minutes. And the Raiders took their very limited opportunities to secure the victory.

Number 3



2020 Round 3. Canberra Raiders 22 - Melbourne Storm 6. The Raiders returned to the field after a 10 week break, due to the pandemic, and produced an impressive display against the ultimate premiers on the Storm's home turf. The Storm were probably not at their best. But the Raiders' defence also frustrated Melbourne into error. The Raiders recorded their third win in a row against Melbourne for the first time - with all three games played in Melbourne.

Number 2



2020 Round 10. Canberra Raiders 24 - Sydney Roosters 20. It will go down in Raiders' history as one of their most courageous victories. It was a rematch between the Grand Final teams of 2019. The Roosters were aiming for their 11th straight win at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Raiders were missing six of their Grand Final team due to long term injury, their main play maker out for the season. The horrible injury toll has left the Green Machine with a squad of just 18 fit players who had any NRL experience. The Raiders were on a five day turnaround. It was, simply, backs to the wall. But fuelled by spirit, heart and pride in the famous green jersey, the Raiders produced a gritty victory against the premiership favourites.

Number 1



2020 Finals Week 2. Canberra Raiders 22 - Sydney Roosters 18. Nothing ever avenges a loss in a Grand Final. But when the Raiders defeated the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Cricket Ground - denying them the opportunity for a "threepeat" - it was a little piece of revenge. Coach Ricky Stuart wisely said that "revenge" was never a motivation for the team. Last year was last year he said. But for the fans, that little bit of revenge - against a team that operates under a salary cap sombrero, not a salary cap - sure felt good. It put the Raiders into their second straight Preliminary Final.

[greeneyed]

As we count down to the end of 2020, we're counting down the top five Canberra Raiders backs, forwards, players, wins of the year and more!

Today, the Canberra Raiders top five tries of 2020.

Do you agree? What's your 5 to 1?

Number 5

Round 18 V Dragons Jack Wighton - In the 25th minute, George Williams kicked downfield, and the ball bounced horribly for the Dragons. Jordan Rapana recovered, with great offloads ensuing from Starling and Tapine to put Jack Wighton over the white stripe. Sensational four pointer.



Number 4

Round 7 V Eeels Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad - Elliott Whitehead at his best, dummying and making the break to set up the fullback!



Number 3

Round 20 V Sharks Sam Williams - Tom Starling makes a stunning break against the Sharks, at Kogarah, and he puts in a perfect kick... with stand in captain Sam Williams backing up to score under the posts.



Number 2

Round 19 V Warriors Hudson Young - An incredible four pointer, with Elliott Whitehead kicking ahead, regathering, kicking ahead again... with Hudson Young grounding it under the posts.



Number 1

Finals Week 2 V Roosters Joe Tapine - Ricky Stuart said he didn't think he'd ever seen a better try from a forward. It was a try for the ages, with Tapine stepping and running and shrugging off defenders. A great try against one of the best defensive teams in the competition.



NRL.com had some others amongst their top five Raiders tries. Sorry Papa, had to leave yours out! See what you think: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/10/28/rai ... s-of-2020/

[greeneyed]

As we count down to the end of 2020, we're counting down the top five Canberra Raiders backs, forwards, players, wins of the year and more!

Today, the Canberra Raiders top five players of 2020.

Do you agree? What's your 5 to 1?

Number 5



Elliott Whitehead appeared in 22 of 23 Raiders games this season, starting in each of them in the second row. I rated him 6.6/10 during the course of the season, but he finished fifth for total points, not far behind my top two players, Josh Papalii and Jack Wighton. For the first time, he shared in the Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Player of the Year - with Papalii, Wighton and George Williams - in an incredible four way tie. Read more

Number 4



The Raiders decided early in 2019 that they needed to move in a different direction at half back. Wigan's English representative George Williams was very deliberately targeted, with the aim of lifting the threat on offer in the halves. The negotiations took an age, with the Raiders having to fork out a large transfer fee to his English club. But the Raiders eventually got their man. Read more

Number 3



Joe Tapine made 21 appearances for the Raiders in 2020 - and probably produced his best ever season in green. He started in the second row in five of the opening six rounds, but then moved into the middle. He started at lock in the final seven games, and made the position his own. He started in 14 games, eight at lock, five in the second row, one at prop - and came off the bench seven times. Read more

Number 2



Jack Wighton has made a stunning transformation in the past two years. From fullback to five eighth. To representative player. To Clive Churchill Medalist. To Meninga Medalist. To Dally M Medalist, the NRL Player of the Year in 2020. He shared this year's Meninga Medal with Josh Papalii, before outpointing hot favourite Nathan Cleary in the Dally M count. He's just the third Canberra player to become a Dally M Medalist, with Laurie Daley being the last Raider to do it, a quarter of a century ago. Throw in the 2020 Dally M Five eighth of the Year award, and that's an impressive list of achievements. Read more

Number 1



In 2018, not so long ago really, Josh Papalii was dropped to "reserve grade". He subsequently moved into the middle, and has now won the Meninga Medal and Fans' Choice Player of the Year for three seasons in a row. In 2020, he shared the Meninga Medal with Jack Wighton and was one of four players who shared in the Fans' Choice Award. This season he was finally recognised as the Dally M Prop of the Year - and was awarded the Dally M Tackle of the Year. He was, based on the votes of his NRL peers in the 2020 RLPA Awards, one of the top five players in the game. He finished the season with Origin selection for the Queensland Maroons, no doubt the first forward picked. Read more

[greeneyed]

As we count down to the end of 2020, we're counting down the top five Canberra Raiders backs, forwards, players, wins of the year and more!

Today, the Canberra Raiders top five moments of 2020.

Do you agree? What's your 5 to 1?

Number 5



Croker breaks records This year, Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker became the fifth highest point scorer in NRL history. In the Round 16 clash with the Bulldogs, he overtook Jason Taylor to take his place in the top five. He now has the point scoring records of Andrew Johns and Johnathan Thurston in his sights. He has to score just 18 points to match Johns and 64 points to match Thurston. There is every prospect that next season, he could become one of the three top point scorers in the code's history in Australia. Croker broke through the 2,000 career points barrier in the Round 1 win over the Gold Coast Titans - becoming the youngest player to ever do so. Only seven players have ever surpassed that benchmark. He has now scored 2,158 points, 132 tries and 815 goals.

Number 4



Jack Wighton wins Dally M Medal Jack Wighton became the third Canberra Raiders player to win the Dally M Medal in its 42 year history. Laurie Daley was the last Raider to win, 25 years ago. Wighton beat hot favourite, Nathan Cleary to the title of NRL Player of the Year, as well as Eels fullback Clint Gutherson. He was also named Dally M Five Eighth of the Year.

Number 3



Backs to the wall victory in Grand Final rematch Round 10 V Roosters Canberra Raiders 24 - Sydney Roosters 20. It will go down in Raiders' history as one of their most courageous victories. It was a rematch between the Grand Final teams of 2019. The Roosters were aiming for their 11th straight win at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Raiders were missing six of their Grand Final team due to long term injury, their main play maker out for the season. The horrible injury toll has left the Green Machine with a squad of just 18 fit players who have any NRL experience. The Raiders were on a five day turnaround. It was, simply, backs to the wall. But fuelled by spirit, heart and pride in the famous green jersey, the Raiders produced a gritty victory against the premiership favourites.

Number 2



Papalii produces the Dally M Tackle of the Year Round 15 V Titans - Titans half Jamal Fogarty earned a quick 20 metre tap with his kick defusal in goal... and streaked away. Three players were chasing, Lui and Starling couldn't keep pace. But Josh Papalii never gave up, and felled Fogarty with a desperate lunge. It won the Dally M Tackle of the Year. It must be up there for Raiders' Tackle of the Century!

Number 1



Raiders block Roosters three-peat Finals Week 2 V Roosters. Canberra Raiders 22 - Sydney Roosters 18. Nothing ever avenges a loss in a Grand Final. But when the Raiders defeated the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Cricket Ground - denying them the opportunity for a "threepeat" - it was a little piece of revenge. Coach Ricky Stuart wisely says that "revenge" was never a motivation for the team. Last year was last year he says. But for the fans, that little bit of revenge - against a team that operates under a salary cap sombrero, not a salary cap - sure felt good. Particularly when, at the same time, the Raiders qualified for their third Preliminary Final in the space of five years.

[greeneyed]

As we count down to the end of 2020, we're counting down the top five Canberra Raiders backs, forwards, players, wins of the year and more!

Today, the Canberra Raiders top five tackles of 2020. It's the last in our series!

Do you agree? What's your 5 to 1?



NRL.com Tackles of the Week: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/10/02/rel ... k-winners/

NRL.com Tackles of the Finals: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/10/26/cho ... he-finals/

Number 5

Finals Week 2 V Roosters Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad - Roosters centre Josh Morris was flying towards the try line, in the corner, but CNK pulled off a remarkable, desperate try saver.

Number 4

Round 18 V Dragons Josh Papalii - Big Papa was at it again at Wollongong, producing a huge hit on Cameron McInnes. Tom Starling made some initial contact, but this hit was all Papalii.

Number 3

Round 3 V Storm George Williams - We knew that new English recruit, George Williams, could tackle after lifting and dumping Ryan Papenhuyzen on his back.

Number 2

Round 6 V Sea Eagles Corey Horsburgh - A cruel big hit on Jack Gosiewski was one of the few highlights for the Green Machine in this "home" clash at Campbelltown. Listen to the thump!

Number 1

Round 15 V Titans Josh Papalii - Titans half Jamal Fogarty earned a quick 20 metre tap with his kick defusal in goal... and streaked away. Three players were chasing, Lui and Starling couldn't keep pace. But Josh Papalii never gave up, and felled Fogarty with a desperate lunge. It won the Dally M Tackle of the Year. It must be up there for Raiders' Tackle of the Century!



And if Papa wasn't pulling off great tackles... he was scoring great tries! Sit back and enjoy his 2020 highlights...