Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has revealed that if he had of been offered a semi-final appearance mid-season, he would have taken it, while also suggesting his side could have made the top four without early-season injuries.
The Raiders' season came to an end in grim circumstances on Friday night, with the club falling 40 points to 4 at the hands of the Parramatta Eels.
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After a miserable start to the season though, the Raiders won seven of their last eight games to steal eighth spot on the table from a capitulating Brisbane Broncos.
Stuart said if he had of been offered a semi-final in the middle of the season, he would have taken it.
"They were too good for us tonight, they got us," Stuart said at his post game press conference.
"If after round 12 this year, if one of you had've come and said to me I'll do a deal with you and you can get to the second semi-final and get flogged, what do you reckon I would've said?
"We were coming 11th or 12th or 15th at one stage. What these blokes have done - that game there, that does not define these blokes, the team, the club.
"I'm very proud of them. I could not be prouder in regards to the journey they've been on, the difficulties we were confronted with.
"For us to get where we are today I'm very proud of them. Disappointed with the result? Absolutely.
"We didn't beat ourselves, we got beaten by a better team."
The run of form for the Raiders also seemed to coincide with the arrival of Jamal Fogarty, who joined from the Gold Coast Titans in the off-season, but missed the first half of the season with injury.
Other players like Hudsgon Young, Adam Elliott and Joseph Tapine also spent time on the sidelines, and Stuart said the Raiders would have made the top four if not for the horror stretch.
"We would have made the top four," Stuart told reporters.
"The second half of the season showed that. We were only three or four wins out of the top four.
"We would have made the top four but we didn't. Every team gets some bad luck. Every team gets injuries."