The JJ Giltinan Shield would be a fitting reward for a consistently brilliant 2025 season. Photo: Jaye Grieshaber.
The JJ Giltinan Shield, presented to the minor premiers after the regular season, is a big prize in rugby league, but the reality is that the focus of fans and history is the premiership title itself.
You only have to look at the 1989 season when South Sydney won the minor premiership before going down in both final games to Balmain and then the Raiders.
Souths finished with the wooden spoon the following season.
It is an important reminder as the Raiders continue to surge towards the minor premiership with six games, plus the bye, ahead of them.
For context, it is worth looking at the 1990 season, the last time the Raiders won the JJ Giltinan Shield before securing consecutive premierships.
In 1990, there was an expectation that the Raiders would win the premiership, having won the title the previous season. They had almost the same lineup on the field.
The 2025 Canberra Raiders season sees the emergence of a number of young stars, including Kaeo Weekes. Photo: Jaye Grieshaber.
The only real change in the 1990 season was the loss of star lock Bradley Clyde through injury in Round 20. This resulted in Clyde not playing in the grand final victory over the Panthers.
Canberra had four players 30 years of age on that day in 1990 – Mal Meninga, Dean Lance, John Ferguson and Chris O’Sullivan.
Players such as Ricky Stuart, Laurie Daley and Clyde were in their early 20s. They laid the platform for another premiership win four years later after the club was forced to rebuild in the wake of salary cap woes.
They would have won in 1993 had Ricky Stuart not suffered a broken leg in Round 21 in the 68-0 win over Parramatta.
Coach Tim Sheens used three half-backs in a bid to get the side back on track, with Steve Stone, Trevor Schodel and Daley playing at number seven as the team crashed out of the finals.
This could be why Stuart is taking time to decide on how he approaches next season without Jamal Fogarty.
Jamal Fogary has shown his leadership during the 2025 Canberra Raiders season, alongside Tapine and Papali’i. Photo: Jaye Grieshaber.
There are distinct similarities between the current team and the side from 1990.
The 2025 side has three players 30 years of age or over: Josh Papali’i, Joseph Tapine and Jamal Fogarty.
With the majority of the current team signed for the next couple of years, the platform has again been established.
Kaeo Weekes, Ethan Strange, Owen Pattie, Xavier Savage and Savelio Tamale are the next generation of superstars and justifiably have Canberra fans excited for the future.
Matthew Timoko and Sebastan Kris are in career-best form, while Matty Nicholson and Zac Hosking have emerged as great buys.
Corey Horsburgh is still close to being considered a new signing, and Tom Starling is one of the form hookers in the competition with his ability to play physical despite his size.
Then there is the leadership of Papali’i and Tapine. Together, they have provided stability along with Fogarty. Tapine for mine is among the top three props in the game at the moment.
The minor premiership is a fitting reward for consistent performance over the regular season, but it’s the premiership trophy that really counts in 2025 and beyond.
Want to watch the Raiders live? They take on the Newcastle Knights this Sunday (27 July) at GIO at 2 pm. Get your tickets from Ticketek.
