I like Elliott a lot, but I don’t think his approach with the referees was productive. I think Joe will be much more effective. Speaks to them when he needs to.Bluesbrother wrote: ↑February 1, 2025, 6:52 pmI agree that's what he did but my take was that he was viewed as rather annoying. Also, his thick accent was difficult for referees. Tapine has showed a much more mature approach IMO. He will be miles better.Raidernation wrote: ↑February 1, 2025, 3:26 pm It will be interesting to see how tapine captains the team in terms of referees. Elliot was outstanding in getting into the refs ear and never giving him a rest. I hope taps and fogs step up to mark.
Toughest preseason ever 2025
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Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025

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- Dean Lance
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Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
elliot fought for every decision and pushed our cause until the end. What taps has going for him is he is legitimately a world class player who should garner respect from the refs but one thing im pretty certain of is that if the captain isn't on the refs at all times decisions will start going against us. Its just what happens to smaller teams in all sports and if taps and fogs let it happen, the bigger teams will get all the calls early and when the game is over we will get square up penalties to even it out but the game will be gone by then.
Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
Whitehead had no favour with officials. Love the bloke to death, he was an awesome player for us for a long time but he was a classic whinging pom on that front. Think he's conduct with officials was largely extremely counter productive, white noise that clearly both frustrated and annoyed officials because he was constantly complaining and frankly did not take well to the advice/feedback the officials were giving him either... there was occasions when his yapping would chew up some valuable time in tight games late but for the most part his approach was not well respected by officials imo
Again, love the bloke to death, one of my all time favourites. I'll remember him fondly for the rest of my days. But the worst lesson Tapine could take from the EW captaincy would be to try and mirror his approach with officials.
Again, love the bloke to death, one of my all time favourites. I'll remember him fondly for the rest of my days. But the worst lesson Tapine could take from the EW captaincy would be to try and mirror his approach with officials.
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- Laurie Daley
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Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
You can choose to read GE’s diplomatic description or Bot’s blunt analysis, but sugar coated or not, they both have the correct answer in regards to Elliot’s influence with the refs.
I don’t know how Tarps will go with the (c), but he won’t be worse!
I don’t know how Tarps will go with the (c), but he won’t be worse!
Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
Jarrod Croker to appear very soon on The Run Home with Joel and Fletch on SEN 1170. Listen on line: https://sen.com.au/listen

Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
Jarrod Croker interview:
Jamal Fogarty ready to go. He missed half the season first year, came back and helped the team to the finals. Last year he missed some time with a biceps injury. But he has a good win rate with the Raiders when he's in the team (58 per cent).
Corey Horsburgh ran a PB this morning in the Bronco, Josh Papalii in the same boat. Never seen him so lean. Both looking very fit.
The Raiders were one game from playing finals last year, will be in the running for the top eight, bottom half of the eight.
Owen Pattie, his 40/20s out of dummy half are better than anyone I've seen. Definitely has an opportunity to play NRL this year, has the class and I have no doubt he's got the skills. (He’s not from Palm Beach, he's from central Queensland.)
The team will be going straight to Vegas, leaving on the 20th, 10 days in Las Vegas. Jarrod Croker will be flying over later, have some races to attend so flying over from Brisbane. Is an NRL Vegas Ambassador.
Kaeo Weekes, fit as a fiddle, expect him to have a big year, full preseason at fullback. The player to watch in Vegas.
Croker mentioned Chris Lewis is now the Canberra defence coach.

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- Dean Lance
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Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
I thought he was an excellent captain and do generally disagree with the comments but to be honest it's all a gut feel and it felt like we got better decisions with whitehead as captain and I would say it's purely because he contested everything. We will see though though, but I'm pretty certain we will be talking about poor decisions and rub of the green often this season.Billy Walker wrote: ↑February 2, 2025, 10:52 pm You can choose to read GE’s diplomatic description or Bot’s blunt analysis, but sugar coated or not, they both have the correct answer in regards to Elliot’s influence with the refs.
I don’t know how Tarps will go with the (c), but he won’t be worse!
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- Laurie Daley
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Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
I saw it differently, but respect your opinion. One thing we do agree on is your last sentence about people talking up bad decisions and the rub of the green. I won’t be, because I’m not a tin foil hat wearing type. But even if 100% of the calls went our way, I’m certain some on here (cough cough Gangers cough) would still be squealing we should have received 101%Raidernation wrote: ↑February 4, 2025, 10:21 pmI thought he was an excellent captain and do generally disagree with the comments but to be honest it's all a gut feel and it felt like we got better decisions with whitehead as captain and I would say it's purely because he contested everything. We will see though though, but I'm pretty certain we will be talking about poor decisions and rub of the green often this season.Billy Walker wrote: ↑February 2, 2025, 10:52 pm You can choose to read GE’s diplomatic description or Bot’s blunt analysis, but sugar coated or not, they both have the correct answer in regards to Elliot’s influence with the refs.
I don’t know how Tarps will go with the (c), but he won’t be worse!

- gangrenous
- Laurie Daley
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Toughest preseason ever 2025
Same challenge for you Billy Walker that I give to Nickman. - Bring me some examples of where I complained about the decision and was wrong.Billy Walker wrote:I saw it differently, but respect your opinion. One thing we do agree on is your last sentence about people talking up bad decisions and the rub of the green. I won’t be, because I’m not a tin foil hat wearing type. But even if 100% of the calls went our way, I’m certain some on here (cough cough Gangers cough) would still be squealing we should have received 101%Raidernation wrote: ↑February 4, 2025, 10:21 pmI thought he was an excellent captain and do generally disagree with the comments but to be honest it's all a gut feel and it felt like we got better decisions with whitehead as captain and I would say it's purely because he contested everything. We will see though though, but I'm pretty certain we will be talking about poor decisions and rub of the green often this season.Billy Walker wrote: ↑February 2, 2025, 10:52 pm You can choose to read GE’s diplomatic description or Bot’s blunt analysis, but sugar coated or not, they both have the correct answer in regards to Elliot’s influence with the refs.
I don’t know how Tarps will go with the (c), but he won’t be worse!
If you can’t do that, shut up and stick your head back up where it usually resides.
On captains I expect Tapine to be no better or worse than Whitehead. Doesn’t strike me as the know the rules and be able to sway the ref type.
Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
EW was tough enough to understand when being interviewed, how on Earth the Ref's could decipher what he was saying in the heat of a tense match would have been difficult. It would have got down to the tone of his voice. All Tarps has to do is be respectful when approaching the Refs.greeneyed wrote: ↑February 1, 2025, 7:31 pmI like Elliott a lot, but I don’t think his approach with the referees was productive. I think Joe will be much more effective. Speaks to them when he needs to.Bluesbrother wrote: ↑February 1, 2025, 6:52 pmI agree that's what he did but my take was that he was viewed as rather annoying. Also, his thick accent was difficult for referees. Tapine has showed a much more mature approach IMO. He will be miles better.Raidernation wrote: ↑February 1, 2025, 3:26 pm It will be interesting to see how tapine captains the team in terms of referees. Elliot was outstanding in getting into the refs ear and never giving him a rest. I hope taps and fogs step up to mark.
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- Laurie Daley
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Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
Of the 493 times you whined about referee decisions last year (in the first 7 rounds), you were wrong on 98.7% of those occasions. I gave up on compiling that data after that as some of your logic would break the most rational of brains such as my own.gangrenous wrote: ↑February 5, 2025, 5:49 amSame challenge for you Billy Walker that I give to Nickman. - Bring me some examples of where I complained about the decision and was wrong.Billy Walker wrote:I saw it differently, but respect your opinion. One thing we do agree on is your last sentence about people talking up bad decisions and the rub of the green. I won’t be, because I’m not a tin foil hat wearing type. But even if 100% of the calls went our way, I’m certain some on here (cough cough Gangers cough) would still be squealing we should have received 101%Raidernation wrote: ↑February 4, 2025, 10:21 pmI thought he was an excellent captain and do generally disagree with the comments but to be honest it's all a gut feel and it felt like we got better decisions with whitehead as captain and I would say it's purely because he contested everything. We will see though though, but I'm pretty certain we will be talking about poor decisions and rub of the green often this season.Billy Walker wrote: ↑February 2, 2025, 10:52 pm You can choose to read GE’s diplomatic description or Bot’s blunt analysis, but sugar coated or not, they both have the correct answer in regards to Elliot’s influence with the refs.
I don’t know how Tarps will go with the (c), but he won’t be worse!
If you can’t do that, shut up and stick your head back up where it usually resides.
On captains I expect Tapine to be no better or worse than Whitehead. Doesn’t strike me as the know the rules and be able to sway the ref type.
If you want to do some research of your own, go back over the last half dozen years of this forum and see how many issues you can find where Nickman and myself align in opinion. If two people that can’t agree on much both agree you’re a massive hand wringer when it comes to the refs then it’s probably not the sage point you thought you were making


Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
Hudson Young interview:
I can't wait for 2025. Had a really good preseason, keen to see how we go.
Who has been a stand out? Trey Mooney. Had a few seasons where he's come in and out of firsts. I think this year he really cements his spot.
No chance of the spoon? Got a great mix, some rep players, experienced players and youth, the younger players got some additional experience last year, have another preseason under their belt. The likes of Strange and Weekes, to make their mark this year. Ethan Sanders, plays a bit like Mitchell Moses, so composed. He's young but leads the older players around well. Strange's best position? I think Strange will be a No. 6, a bit like Wighton. Confident, great pre season, raring to go.
Jamal Fogarty very important. Real leader on and off the field, nice bloke too, taking it seriously, given up alcohol, wants his body right.
We have a trial this week, then a trial against the Sharks. Then the team goes to Vegas on 20 February. I think we get a night out in Vegas when we arrive, but then we will focus. Might stay an extra few days if we win!
Young Supplements. Recently launched the company, was out of the game for 14 months as a teenager after testing positive. My driving factor in doing it, to make sure supplements are fully compliant for sports people. It's taken me 12 months to get it set up, made in Melbourne. I wanted to make sure it was all right, and ASADA approved.

Re: Toughest preseason ever 2025
'This is the year': Young Raider backed for breakout season
Young Raiders bull Trey Mooney's been tipped to have a breakout season and establish himself as an NRL player.
"I reckon Trey Mooney [will step up]," Hudson Young said. "He's had a few seasons now where he's come in and out of first grade. I think this is the year where he really cements his spot within the team and the way that he's been training and the way he's looking on and off the field I'm really excited to see how he goes this year."
Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... rl-impact/
Young Raiders bull Trey Mooney's been tipped to have a breakout season and establish himself as an NRL player.
"I reckon Trey Mooney [will step up]," Hudson Young said. "He's had a few seasons now where he's come in and out of first grade. I think this is the year where he really cements his spot within the team and the way that he's been training and the way he's looking on and off the field I'm really excited to see how he goes this year."
Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... rl-impact/
