Corey Horsburgh provided a glimmer of hope against the Sharks at GIO on Saturday night. Photo: Jayzie Photography.
In the 32-12 victory over the Raiders in Saturday night’s elimination semi-final, the Sharks demonstrated how vital an effective halves combination is in finals football.
Trindall and Hynes controlled the second half to perfection.
The Raiders, on the other hand, had very little rhythm following the loss of their best attacking weapon, Ethan Strange, on the morning of the final.
It was always going to be a tough assignment following the 95-minute epic and heartbreak against the Broncos the week before, coupled with the fact that eight players in the Raiders lineup were playing in their first finals campaign.
With Strange’s replacement, Simi Sasagi, very much a running backrower, there was minimal creativity, and it was left to Jamal Fogarty to be the sole creative player in the Raiders lineup.
For 35 minutes, the Raiders played to a simple formula (one-out attack), and were very much in the game, but a couple of defensive lapses close to half-time saw the Sharks take the lead.
From that point on, there was a feeling that the Sharks, with momentum against a tiring Raiders outfit, would go away with the game. The Raiders were out on their feet as the aftermath of the Broncos game started to take its toll, but they tried valiantly.
If Seb Kris had been able to pass the ball after making a great break, which would have resulted in a near-certain try to level the scores, maybe this would have given the Raiders the much-needed energy boost to stay in the contest.
A lot has also been said about the decision to rest the majority of the team for the game against the Dolphins.
Did the Raiders lose momentum because of that decision?
I don’t think so. The Panthers rested 16 against the Bulldogs in the lead-up to the finals, and if a couple of decisions had gone the Raiders’ way in the loss to the Broncos, the resting of players against the Dolphins wouldn’t even be up for discussion.
There is much to like about the Raiders this season, winning more games than any other team in the regular season.
Fielding one of the youngest back lines in the competition, the team plays exciting and compelling football.
To take that next step, there are obvious areas of improvement.
The right-side defence proved to be the Raiders’ weakness on Saturday night, and through the season, this was exposed at times. Despite the side finishing on top of the ladder, the Raiders were only the 6th-best defensive side.
Matt Timoko and Fogarty had problems in alignment throughout the season, and this was again shown to be a vulnerability on Saturday night.
Sione Finau has been signed from the Dragons, and this could provide pressure on Timoko, who is a great attacking player but needs to lift defensively.
With Fogarty heading to Manly, there are high expectations on Ethan Sanders, who will no doubt go through a master class in halfback play in the off-season under Stuart.
Jed Stuart after the loss to the Sharks. Photo: Jayzie Photography.
The Raiders have reportedly been linked to young Melbourne half Jonah Pezet, who would be on a one-year loan deal.
But there are clearly plenty of positives to come out of the Raiders’ season with the minor premiership. The emergence of great young talent such as Weakes and Strange, the leadership of Tapine, the reemergence of Horsburgh and the form of Starling.
Not bad for a side written off at the start of the season.
But it’s little consolation for the game’s ultimate competitor, Ricky Stuart, who has done a remarkable job with this group of young players. Bring on season 2026.
