The Raiders come into 2022 with a handful of new signings and a desperate need to push back up the ladder.
Here is their full season preview.
2021 Season:
The Raiders missed out on finals footy in 2021 on points differential. That said, it was 90 points and given the roster Canberra boasted says they should never have been in that position.
They had the Dally M Player of the Year in Jack Wighton, one of the game's premier props in Josh Papali'i and a super supporting cast. To miss the top eight is unacceptable.
10 wins and 14 losses is hardly the end of the world, but I can't imagine Ricky Stuart settling with "not the end of the world".
To their credit, the Raiders managed to re-sign their incredible crop of youngsters as well as add to their roster. 2021 is easily forgettable but feels like a lost opportunity.
Off-Season Moves
2022 gains
Nick Cotric (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2024), Adam Elliott (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2022), Jamal Fogarty (Gold Coast Titans, 2024), Peter Hola (North Queensland Cowboys, 2024), Brandon Morkos (2024)
2022 losses
Caleb Aekins (released), Adam Cook (released), Siliva Havili (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Ryan James (Brisbane Broncos), Dunamis Lui (released), Darby Medlyn (released), Kai O'Donnell (released), Curtis Scott (released), Bailey Simonsson (Parramatta Eels), Iosia Soliola (retired), George Williams (released)
Recruitment Impact
:
The Raiders added three pieces to the puzzle in their new halfback Jamal Fogarty, second rower Adam Elliott and the returning Nick Cotric.
All three will play big parts in the Raiders' quest to return to the finals. Fogarty instantly becomes one of his new club's most important players.
In terms of losses; some big names were let go but I'd argue nothing of real consequence was allowed to leave the nation's capital.
On the re-signing stage they secured fast rising superstar Xavier Savage, as well as Sebastian Kris, Harley Smith-Shields and Matthew Timoko. Brilliant business.
Talking Points:
Forward march: The Raiders pack is outstanding. Papali'i is a monster in every sense of the word. Tapine is top notch. Corey Harawira-Naera is a brilliant footballer. Throw in Ryan Sutton, Hudson Young and Elliott Whitehead and that is a world class pack.
The only issue is that they were exposed toward the end of the season when fatigue kicked in. They also have two forwards who may or may not be available in Round 1.
Sticky situation: Ricky Stuart is a brilliant coach. The "game's greatest thinker" was how he referred to for years. He has a premierships and rep honours to his name as both a player and a coach.
That said, Stuart's press conferences in 2021 became comedy routines. He shifted blame to ridiculous lengths and his antics were cringeworthy. A man under stress or someone having a laugh at the media's expense? I suspect the former.
Centre of attack: A season-ending injury to Harley Smith-Shields means the Raiders now, in theory, have two centre spots for the taking. Jarrod Croker undertook some incredible steps to be able to return to the field again but his fitness isn't assured.
Sebastian Kris looks a real prospect but may move into the second row. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad may be shifting into the centres on a permanent basis.
Key player
: Jack Wighton
Jack Wighton won the Dally M medal in 2020. He wasn't in the game's top 50 players in 2021. That is a huge fall that had many, myself included, asking whether Wighton was still the same player.
Don't get me wrong, I'd welcome him into my side, but he was handed the keys to the Raiders in '21 and he misplaced them.
If Wighton doesn't deliver in 2022 the Raiders won't play finals. If he does, they can do anything. He's that important to the cause.
Big season for: Jamal Fogarty
The big question, and one that the Raiders season may very well hang on; is Jamal Fogarty the man to partner Wighton in the halves?
He showed signs of brilliance on the Gold Coast in 2021 but was so inconsistent the club let him walk away. Fogarty is in supreme form and has a base to launch from.
Whether or not he can launch is the aforementioned big question. I'm backing him but in terms of pure talent, Sam Williams edges him across the board.
Watch Rugby League Outlaws discuss the Raiders in their Season Preview
Breakout star
: Xavier Savage
Superstar alert!
Xavier Savage may have only played three NRL games in 2021 but he showed more than enough to suggest he is going to be a special talent. He has already been linked with an Origin debut in 2022.
He may have to start the season on the wing but his future is at fullback. Speed, footwork and the ability to break tackles for fun make him a wonderful prospect.
Whether on the wing or in the custodian role I fully expect him to feature heavily in 2022. He will surely add to his try, two line-breaks and incredible nine tackle breaks.
Fixtures to watch
:
Round 1 vs Cronulla Sharks: I always feel as though I'm cheating by naming the Round 1 fixture but a Friday evening, at home, vs a recent rival? Delicious! Canberra and the Sharks both play a similar game. They like to bash it up the middle then let their clever players dance circles around tiring defenders. Both sides will be on the edge of the eight in 2022 so it's games like this that could decide finishing spots come the end of the season.
- Round 4 vs Manly Sea Eagles: I don't know if this is a game that means more than others to Raiders fans but this is a game I can't wait to see. Mudgee will play host to one of the games of the season. Tom Trbojevic vs Savage. The battle in the halves. Those two forward packs colliding? Might be worth the trip for the Saturday evening potential barnburner.
Round 3 vs Gold Coast Titans: For those with a short memory, the Titans were the side who pipped the Raiders in the last rounds to secure a final spot. The Raiders new halfback certainly has something to prove to the team who let him walk for a relative rookie. David Fifita, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika vs Josh Papalii, Corey Harawira-Naera and Joseph Tapine also has me circling this fixture.
Prediction
There is so much to like about this Raiders side. Despite questions, the Raiders halves pairing is strong, their fullback is going to be a star (whichever way they go) and they have a great pack.
Josh Hodgson has reportedly been shopped around for the better part of a season and a half. He's already signed for the Eels for 2023. He's not the same player he once was.
Two of the Raiders best two forwards are not confirmed to be available for Round 1. That has to be a distraction, despite the fact I expect both to line up.
Throw in a recruit best known for his off-field antics and a coach who is as unpredictable as they come and I just don't know.
They're better than about half the sides in the competition but not as good as the other half. They could finish anywhere between sixth and eleventh.
9th
” Ricky Stuart is a brilliant coach. The “game’s greatest thinker” was how he referred to for years. He has a premierships and rep honours to his name as both a player and a coach.”
I’m smiling when I read that sentence about “the game’s greatest thinker”. I’m not sure whether that’s him referring to himself, or some unidentified bar-room accolade. Anyway, let that go.
My take is that he is one of the most high-profile coaches. That is partly because he has always been well-known from his playing days, and partly because he is regularly mouthing off in press-conferences and getting fined. He is more articulate than most of the other coaches so the media give him air-time.
But is he actually any good as a coach ? He wears the halo that the very first year he coached, his team (the Roosters) won the premiership. Therefore he must be a great coach. Yes? Well, not necessarily. The team he coached had been assembled before he arrived. And what class it had! Go and look at the team-list. Practically every one from 1 to 17 is a household name even today.
Next season, 2003? Not so good. Next season, 2004? Not so good. 2005? Out of the eight. 2006? Just missed out on the wooden spoon.
Off to Cronulla. Two poor seasons and one good season.
Off to Parramatta. One poor season, then he asked for a release from his contract and went to Canberra.
Eight seasons at Canberra. They have, more often than not, finished out of the eight. Three good years (2016, 2019, 2020) but no silverware.
I think he is getting better at assembling a decent team and keeping it competitive, and I think when he has got a good team, he gets decent results out of them. I think he struggles when the team is nothing special.
I don’t see anything special about the side he has for 2022, and so I think that they will miss out of the eight.