Canberra Raiders’ best 17 for 2019: The fundamental flaw in their spine
Canberra have some real problems to fix this season.
The late fades and close losses — they’re no longer an excusable quirk. They’re a fundamental flaw.
In 2018 they lost eight games by six points or less after opening the season with three consecutive losses by two points or less.
To be fair, the Raiders were whacked by injury, with hooker and this year’s co-captain Josh Hodgson playing just 11 games, and Jarrod Croker sidelined from Round 18 with injury as they tried to mount a finals charge.
Every Test, ODI & T20I live, ad-break free during play and in 4K. Only on Foxtel. SIGN UP NOW!
This year, while the squad has changed minimally, there is room for plenty of change.
Blake Austin has left, along with Junior Paulo and Shannon Boyd.
English newcomers John Bateman and Ryan Sutton have come on board to plug the gaps up front, while it’s been suggested controversial fullback Jack Wighton could make a switch to the halves.
Star winger Jordan Rapana spending the first half of the season on the sidelines with a shoulder injury will not help — he’s consistently one of their best players.
It’s a lemon of a situation, but Ricky Stuart needs to make lemonade out of it.
After years of frustrating inconsistency, Raiders fans deserve as much.
BEST 17 FOR 2019
COWBOYS: THE MAN WHO NEEDS TO STEP UP IN THE POST-JT ERA
BRONCOS: THE CHALLENGE WITH A YOUNG GUN ROSTER
BULLDOGS: ONE POSITION STACKED BUT DOGS LOOK VULNERABLE
PANTHERS: THE BIG QUESTIONS CLEARY MUST ANSWER
THE STRENGTH
The representative forward pack. The Raiders have lost big boppers Junior Paulo and Shannon Boyd, but they’ve brought in two English recruits in John Bateman and Ryan Sutton. They won the Super League with Wigan last season and Bateman was a nominee for the Man of Steel award.
The 25-year-old is likened to fellow Englishman and Raiders star Elliott Whitehead, who can play in the second row or in the centres. Ryan Sutton is a 23-year-old prop who doesn’t have representative experience, but has played over 100 games of Super League.
They have big shoes to fill with Paulo and Boyd, but among Josh Papalii, Joe Tapine, Whitehead and Sia Soliola, with Josh Hodgson leading them around, the Raiders should be set up front.
PRESSURE IS ON
Aidan Sezer. It’s been reported fullback Jack Wighton is set for a shift to the halves — again. How this would alleviate pressure on Sezer is not clear. He needs a stable and experienced manager to run the show, like Sam Williams.
While Williams is no superstar, he has enough NRL experience from 84 games to be steady and help free up Sezer to get back to his best.
Wighton was trialled at five-eighth during the 2014 season, starting the year in the No.6 jersey and playing there for nine rounds before moving into the centres and onto the wing. He settled at fullback the following season, and he’s played there every year since.
To move him again would disrupt the spine in two key positions.
Without Blake Austin beside him, Sezer is expected to take complete control of the Raiders’ direction and much of their success this year will be based on his ability to do so.
If Williams can provide stable support it will be one less thing on Sezer’s plate.
BEST 17 FOR 2019
RABBITOHS: CUSTODIAN CONUNDRUM CRUCIAL TO TITLE HOPES
WESTS TIGERS: HALVES DILEMMA FACING MAGUIRE
TITANS: WHY PEACHEY’S BEST POSITION IS KEY TO SUCCESS
SEA EAGLES: PRESSURE ON BIG THREE WITH DEPTH TESTED
THE RISING STAR
Emre Guler. The 20-year-old played just three NRL games last year, averaging around 30 minutes from the bench, 20 tackles and 90 running metres.
He’ll go to another level again in 2019. His engine is big despite his size, standing at 191cms and weighing 110kgs.
The video of him being presented his NRL jersey by his mother before his debut in Round 23 went viral in rugby league circles. He moved away from his family in Sydney to chase his opportunity with the Raiders and looks every part of a future star for the club.
In a sure sign he’s a player of the future, Guler re-signed with the club until the end of 2021 and will be pushing to maintain his place in the NRL team in 2019.
THE UNLUCKY ONES
Ata Hingano, Dunamis Lui, Brad Abbey. If Williams and Sezer can’t cement their place in the halves, the Raiders have options. Hingano played nine games from the interchange last season but is a five-eighth or halfback. He will be pushing hard for a spot. As will Abbey, who could be a tempting option for Ricky Stuart to play at fullback if Wighton is to be moved into the halves. Lui played every game of the season for the Raiders last year and will be tough to leave out of the team, but with increased competition for spots it’s more likely he will provide handy depth.
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR
Jarrod Croker. The skipper is within reach of becoming the youngest player ever to score 2000 points in the NRL. At the age of 28, it would be an incredible achievement — no player under the age of 30 has been able to do it.
He needs 232 points to reach the milestone and twice he has scored that many points in the season — once in 2015 and again in 2016.
If he scores seven tries this year he’ll also become the club’s all-time leading tryscorer.
RAIDERS’ BEST 17
1 Jack Wighton
2 Nick Cotric
3 Jarrod Croker
4 Joey Leilua
5 Michael Oldfield
6 Aidan Sezer
7 Sam Williams
8 Ryan Sutton
9 Josh Hodgson
10 Sia Soliola
11 Joe Tapine
12 Elliott Whitehead
13 Josh Papalii
14 Siliva Havili
15 Luke Bateman
16 John Bateman
17 Emre Guler