Jamal Fogarty with fellow Raiders players Smithies, Weekes and Horsburgh. Photo: Jaye Grieshaber.
As a Raiders fan, I have sought a certain amount of morbid satisfaction in going through preseason predictions from the so-called experts.
A number of these pundits had Canberra as favourites to win the wooden spoon following the departure of a number of players representing almost 500 NRL games in experience.
One prediction viewed the side unravelling in the wake of an early-season losing streak.
Another suggested that apart from Joe Tapine and Josh Palali’i, the side had little in the way of blue-chip talent, and a lack of consistency would be the flavour of the season.
Joe Tapine played his 200th game in the NRL during Magic Round in Brisbane. Photo: Jaye Grieshaber.
There was even a suggestion that Green Machine fans would turn away as a long season of losses was predicted.
Mind you, the same prediction was made in the lead-up to 2024, only to see the Raiders almost make the finals.
Sunday night’s 20-18 golden point victory over the Melbourne Storm to finish Magic Round should force a change in thinking, even though we are only nine rounds into the season.
Melbourne had every right to feel well on top when they were ahead 14-0 and seemingly in control.
Once again, this Raiders side has proven its incredible resilience, with the younger players, in particular, unconcerned by the scoreboard.
Much of it has come down to the faith Ricky Stuart has shown in players such as Kaeo Weekes and Corey Horsburgh.
After a horror game against Manly in Round 3 in which he struggled under the pressure of Daly Cherry Evans’ kicking game, it was thought Weekes would be dropped to the NSW Cup to regain confidence.
But Stuart stayed with his fullback, and Weekes responded with standout performances against both the Titans and the Storm.
Stuart also stood by Horsburgh after his ill-discipline cost the side dearly against the Sea Eagles.
Horsburgh responded with a number of quality games.
Stuart will do the same with Owen Pattie this week after he made a couple of errors in the game against Melbourne coming off the bench. Stuart made the tactical decision to bring the more experienced Tom Starling back into the fray after Pattie’s short cameo.
The return of Zac Hosking has been pivotal, while 20-year-old Savelio Tamale and Matty Nicholson, who is only a year older, have emerged as the buys of the season.
The Raiders’ opponents this Saturday, the Bulldogs, have undergone a rebuild that is starting to pay dividends, with the side, which was knocked out in the first week of the finals last year, currently leading the competition.
It’s only Round 10, but this weekend’s game already has a finals feel about it.
It will be intense and physical.
It deserves a crowd in excess of 20,000 at Canberra Stadium.
The Raiders face the Bulldogs in the Women in League Round on Saturday, 10 May, at 3 pm. Get your tickets at Ticketek.
