Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
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Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Tim Gavel
The Raiders, through their history, have traditionally developed players through from juniors to seniors, but in recent years, there has obviously been a desire to sign players from the UK to put some starch into the forwards.
I rate Hodgson in my top two players who have established their senior careers elsewhere before joining the Raiders and made a significant impact during their time in Canberra. Mal Meninga naturally tops the list.
Read more: https://the-riotact.com/top-10-canberra ... ime/297023
Tim Gavel
The Raiders, through their history, have traditionally developed players through from juniors to seniors, but in recent years, there has obviously been a desire to sign players from the UK to put some starch into the forwards.
I rate Hodgson in my top two players who have established their senior careers elsewhere before joining the Raiders and made a significant impact during their time in Canberra. Mal Meninga naturally tops the list.
Read more: https://the-riotact.com/top-10-canberra ... ime/297023
Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Schifcofske too low for mine.
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Orford?
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Hard for Schif to top guys who won all sorts of things and were one of the greatest RL teams ever assembled. He was excellent, but not a world beater. Then again the article is about his influence on the club and he was a shining light in a dark era.
I can't fault his top 5.
I never saw Grant or Giteau play (my RL memory goes back very vaguely to cheering with my Dad in '88 as a 9 year old and great memories of the '89 season as I was old enough to follow hardcore and clip bits out of newspapers and devour RL Week etc).
Surprised Noa didn't make the list- he was another in a line of incredible Raiders wingers.
I can't fault his top 5.
I never saw Grant or Giteau play (my RL memory goes back very vaguely to cheering with my Dad in '88 as a 9 year old and great memories of the '89 season as I was old enough to follow hardcore and clip bits out of newspapers and devour RL Week etc).
Surprised Noa didn't make the list- he was another in a line of incredible Raiders wingers.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Great call about Noa! I didn’t think of him.BadnMean wrote: ↑April 17, 2019, 5:39 pm Hard for Schif to top guys who won all sorts of things and were one of the greatest RL teams ever assembled. He was excellent, but not a world beater. Then again the article is about his influence on the club and he was a shining light in a dark era.
I can't fault his top 5.
I never saw Grant or Giteau play (my RL memory goes back very vaguely to cheering with my Dad in '88 as a 9 year old and great memories of the '89 season as I was old enough to follow hardcore and clip bits out of newspapers and devour RL Week etc).
Surprised Noa didn't make the list- he was another in a line of incredible Raiders wingers.
I reckon Schif was huge by all measures. But he’ll never have the same legacy because of the period he played in. But this point is debated every time a list like this comes out.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Yeah Nadruku was Daly M winger for 93, deserves at least a mention, if not inclusion. Lomax, Pongia and Hoppe also there abouts.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Jason Smith - I’ll never forget vision of him on the sideline smashing a pie before returning to the field. That and master coach M Elliot getting him to switch from Winnie reds to blues.
Smith almost averaged the same try assists as run meters per game too. What a strange time.
Smith almost averaged the same try assists as run meters per game too. What a strange time.
Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Schif is top 3 and I would rate him ahead of Hodgson. If you include the year it was cancelled he was 2x Dally M fullback of the year and ran 2nd for overall Dally M during probably the most stacked era for fullbacks. He was also 2 xRaiders Player of the year and if the GH award went back that far he would be the all time leader.
He also left the NRL as the incumbent fullback in a series winning Maroons side and made the semis 4/6 seasons. The contemporary accounts of him talk about him being the best fullback in the comp and one of the best players during his very best years.
He is ridiculously underrated and the sides from that era are in general because they were recent to superstar teams and were so considered "crap", but if you look at their record it's not really worse than the current sides.
He also left the NRL as the incumbent fullback in a series winning Maroons side and made the semis 4/6 seasons. The contemporary accounts of him talk about him being the best fullback in the comp and one of the best players during his very best years.
He is ridiculously underrated and the sides from that era are in general because they were recent to superstar teams and were so considered "crap", but if you look at their record it's not really worse than the current sides.
Last edited by edwahu on April 17, 2019, 7:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
A bit hard to narrow this down to a top 10 I reckon..
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Switching from reds to blues probably prolonged Smiths life.KingDynamite wrote: ↑April 17, 2019, 6:10 pm Jason Smith - I’ll never forget vision of him on the sideline smashing a pie before returning to the field. That and master coach M Elliot getting him to switch from Winnie reds to blues.
Smith almost averaged the same try assists as run meters per game too. What a strange time.
He's since gone onto bigger and better things...
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
He was just a good player. Saw the game.KingDynamite wrote: ↑April 17, 2019, 6:10 pm Jason Smith - I’ll never forget vision of him on the sideline smashing a pie before returning to the field. That and master coach M Elliot getting him to switch from Winnie reds to blues.
Smith almost averaged the same try assists as run meters per game too. What a strange time.
You could see him just looking players into gaps they didn't know existed, but he'd seen them coming 5 seconds ago. Just willing blokes in there with his eyes. A touch of the Cliffy Lyons about him.
Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Hmm I remember that as the Minicello era but I'm a Blues fan and you mount a very good case.edwahu wrote: ↑April 17, 2019, 7:10 pm Schif is top 3 and I would rate him ahead of Hodgson. If you include the year it was cancelled he was 2x Dally M fullback of the year and ran 2nd for overall Dally M during probably the most stacked era for fullbacks. He was also 2 xRaiders Player of the year and if the GH award went back that far he would be the all time leader.
He also left the NRL as the incumbent fullback in a series winning Maroons side and made the semis 4/6 seasons. The contemporary accounts of him talk about him being the best fullback in the comp and one of the best players during his very best years.
He is ridiculously underrated and the sides from that era are in general because they were recent to superstar teams and were so considered "crap", but if you look at their record it's not really worse than the current sides.
I can't consider him better than Boxhead Walters or Belcher though. Walters was the Cam Smith of his time and Belcher was the first modern fullback and an Oz rep and Qld mainstay for the better part of a decade.
Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Ridiculous player, we couldn't win without him at one stage eitherKingDynamite wrote:Jason Smith - I’ll never forget vision of him on the sideline smashing a pie before returning to the field. That and master coach M Elliot getting him to switch from Winnie reds to blues.
Smith almost averaged the same try assists as run meters per game too. What a strange time.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
BadnMean wrote: ↑April 17, 2019, 7:35 pmHmm I remember that as the Minicello era but I'm a Blues fan and you mount a very good case.edwahu wrote: ↑April 17, 2019, 7:10 pm Schif is top 3 and I would rate him ahead of Hodgson. If you include the year it was cancelled he was 2x Dally M fullback of the year and ran 2nd for overall Dally M during probably the most stacked era for fullbacks. He was also 2 xRaiders Player of the year and if the GH award went back that far he would be the all time leader.
He also left the NRL as the incumbent fullback in a series winning Maroons side and made the semis 4/6 seasons. The contemporary accounts of him talk about him being the best fullback in the comp and one of the best players during his very best years.
He is ridiculously underrated and the sides from that era are in general because they were recent to superstar teams and were so considered "crap", but if you look at their record it's not really worse than the current sides.
I can't consider him better than Boxhead Walters or Belcher though. Walters was the Cam Smith of his time and Belcher was the first modern fullback and an Oz rep and Qld mainstay for the better part of a decade.
Yeah that's true, I wouldn't have him ahead of those two, I had forgotten about boxhead.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Excellent summary, Ed. I’ve tried to say the same thing a few times but without all the compelling supporting evidence. I might have to memorise this.edwahu wrote: ↑April 17, 2019, 7:10 pm Schif is top 3 and I would rate him ahead of Hodgson. If you include the year it was cancelled he was 2x Dally M fullback of the year and ran 2nd for overall Dally M during probably the most stacked era for fullbacks. He was also 2 xRaiders Player of the year and if the GH award went back that far he would be the all time leader.
He also left the NRL as the incumbent fullback in a series winning Maroons side and made the semis 4/6 seasons. The contemporary accounts of him talk about him being the best fullback in the comp and one of the best players during his very best years.
He is ridiculously underrated and the sides from that era are in general because they were recent to superstar teams and were so considered "crap", but if you look at their record it's not really worse than the current sides.
Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Hard to say whether Gavel is talking "best" or "most influential"... one might suggest that John Lomax and Quentin Pongia (together or apart) showed the entire league that kiwi forwards were there for the taking...
Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Terry Fahey - showed what large fast outside backs could do. Pre-dated Mal but a template of modern wingers.
Scott Logan - confirmed that large players who consistently turn up have a positive impact on the side but the 'work ethic' is as important as size.
Paul Osborne - always remembered for his 'one moment in time'. Showed that every dog has his day - the Steve Bradbury of the Raiders.
Scott Logan - confirmed that large players who consistently turn up have a positive impact on the side but the 'work ethic' is as important as size.
Paul Osborne - always remembered for his 'one moment in time'. Showed that every dog has his day - the Steve Bradbury of the Raiders.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Wouldn't have J Smith in the top 10.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
He says it's a list of players who had established careers elsewhere before they signed. Hence no Noa, Ruben, Quentin and Lomax type signings would be considered.BadnMean wrote: ↑April 17, 2019, 5:39 pm Hard for Schif to top guys who won all sorts of things and were one of the greatest RL teams ever assembled. He was excellent, but not a world beater. Then again the article is about his influence on the club and he was a shining light in a dark era.
I can't fault his top 5.
I never saw Grant or Giteau play (my RL memory goes back very vaguely to cheering with my Dad in '88 as a 9 year old and great memories of the '89 season as I was old enough to follow hardcore and clip bits out of newspapers and devour RL Week etc).
Surprised Noa didn't make the list- he was another in a line of incredible Raiders wingers.
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
So we're actually talking recruits, not just international imports. Bit of a misleading title.
As far as international imports go...
(Players from overseas who made their NRL debut with the Raiders.)
Hodgson
Wiki
Vainikolo
Bateman
Nadruku
Whitehead
Todd
Lomax
Pongia
Hoppe
As far as international imports go...
(Players from overseas who made their NRL debut with the Raiders.)
Hodgson
Wiki
Vainikolo
Bateman
Nadruku
Whitehead
Todd
Lomax
Pongia
Hoppe
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
If the criteria is the effect the signing had on the club I think sisa waqa deserves a mention. He signed with us when no one else would think ennis, tedesco, proctor and mansor.. His signing was the turning point in my opinion.
If the criteria is what they subsequently achieved in green then rapana has to be top 5. Sure I don't need to explain why
If the criteria is what they subsequently achieved in green then rapana has to be top 5. Sure I don't need to explain why
Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Hmm two good ones there. Waqa played a good season or so too.FROG wrote: ↑April 20, 2019, 10:47 am If the criteria is the effect the signing had on the club I think sisa waqa deserves a mention. He signed with us when no one else would think ennis, tedesco, proctor and mansor.. His signing was the turning point in my opinion.
If the criteria is what they subsequently achieved in green then rapana has to be top 5. Sure I don't need to explain why
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Re: Top 10 Canberra Raiders imports of all time
Soliolo has been a fair signing - a very established player who came to Canberra essentially for his 3rd career and has made a big impact both on the field and around club culture. Probably not top 10 but I wouldn’t scream if he snuck in and and certainly ahead of a few other names being chucked up.