Are the Raiders the most disappointing team this year?

[Alfred DeBois]

There is already a thread on Penrith flopping, I think the time has come to make one on the Raiders.


At the start of the year the so called experts had the Raiders as one of the teams to beat and a lock for the top 4.
Their team is packed with stars, apart from their halves. Yet they have disappointed their fans this year and now look like missing the 8.
They haven't had a massive injury toll like the Titans or lost key players like the Cowboys have.
Last year they only lost 6 games total. This year just a tick over the halfway point they have dropped 8 with more likely to come.
They are struggling to close out games and couldn't even beat the Bronco's at home, who were without 2 of their best players and had a few backing up from an absorbing origin clash. Yet the Raiders couldn't win.
They may well make a late charge for the top 8 but its a far cry from a guaranteed top 4 spot at the start of the year, that many had hoped for.

These are hard questions that need to asked. Are the Raiders this year flops?

 

[M2D2]

I had raiders in my top 4 if they could overcome the sticky problem.
They could not.

 

[nick87]

We stink
Burn the place to the ground and salt the earth

 

[T-Boon]

Canberra need to work more on the wrestling and less on the ball skills. Winning the ruck and completing sets is everything.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

In regards to LU, most of the predictions about the raiders doing well this year and being contenders came from outside our supporter base.

Even last year the sensible among us thought we had overachieved and that our halves were being carried by Leiluia, Rapana and Hodgson. Of those 3 only Rapana has carried on his form, hodgson looks injured and BJ is BJ.

Our backline is actually better with the inclusion of Cotric over Lee. But then again Sezer and Austin would be in ISP if there was anyone else to cover for them. Our defence on BJ and Austin's side has been suspect for years and Croker still has days when he is dominated physically by bigger opposite numbers. Wighton is defensively brave but dumb as a box of hammers. Basically our best two players are our wingers.

Our forwards? Paulo looks good and Boyd looks to be slowly shifting up the gears but because of our mistakes and kicking games use far too much juice in defence. Our back row has been fine.

Our bench is poor. Tapine is fine on the occasions he wants to wind up, Sia is only got about 20 decent minutes in him these days, baptiste is wasted and the less said about Clay f**king Priest the better.

Our tactics are shit. As someone mentioned, what is the point of bringing baptiste on at the same time as hodgson? Why is Paulo playing first receiver? Why is Tapine only getting 35 minutes max? What's the deal with Clay f**king Priest?

And the coach keeps picking the same f**king team win, lose or lose. We have poor depth, but still, the blokes who are stinking up the joint have peaked and are never going to get any better.

 

[Das Gupta]

Skeepe told me to blame it all on the refs, touches judges,Vidoe refs and Tony Archer

 

[Das Gupta]

and BJ is BJ.

At times this year he has looked like the fat version from Newcastle

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Skeepe told me to blame it all on the refs, touches judges and Vidoe refs.

You forgot Tony Archer

 

[hineyrulz]

It's amazing the lack of media attention they and their coach are getting, considering the pressure that has been put on teams like the Dogs and Panthers and especially their coaches.

I think they did over achieve last year but they are definitely under achieving this year. First thing they need to do is fire their defensive coach Dean Pay.

 

[Alfred DeBois]

It's amazing the lack of media attention they and their coach are getting, considering the pressure that has been put on teams like the Dogs and Panthers and especially their coaches.

Ricky is a friend of Rothfield. No hard criticism coming there or from the tele.

 

[Vee]

They were dross in attack and defence last night.

According to the fans around me, the refs were even worse which is surprising given how much help they were getting from the grandstand.

To be fair, I didn't see the refs miss any tackles.

 

[hineyrulz]

Ricky is a friend of Rothfield. No hard criticism coming there or from the tele.

Lets not forget him and Kenty are bum chums.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

I predicted that the Raiders would not make the top 8,however i dunno if i was simply trolling or if it was a serious prediction,Im taking credit anyway

Haynetrain 1
Ricky Stuart 0

 

[T-Boon]

Just take the hit ups, get tackled quickly - preferably one on one, quick play the balls put those mid field bombs up the backs have to catch on their ten. Chase hard, wrestle hard, turtle, hyena. Then repeat. Thats how you win rugby league.

Last year I don't know what they were doing with all the passing and skills and stuff. Using the backline inside their own half etc. That aint rugby league. Its gutless show ponying.

 

[RWB]

I expected the Raiders to be contending for the top 8 so I'm not really surprised with where they sit, a couple wins outside it.

They're a very one dimensional side and for a great ex-halfback Ricky Stuart really does have a poor record in developing his halves.

Aiden Sezer who looked like he was one of the best value pick ups of the season when they originally signed him has regressed hugely as a player.

I think the frustrating thing for Raiders fans is there's no real clear direction around where this side is headed, they continue to purchase overgrown forwards with little to no skill set & haven't brought through any promising talent from the juniors in a while.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

The funny thing is that the halves were barely noticeable last year. They simply fed the ball to our edge combinations and they did the rest. This year we have Austin being a ball pig and blowing several tries, while Sezer is piss farting around in the opp 20 and just one-off passing to props hoping they'll barge over. They're a bit too involved this year. Unfortunately we don't have a semi capable half like Williams that can be used to give them a kick up the bum.

 

[The Enforcer]

They have an incredibly overrated coach who can't motivate his players and he doesn't have a plan B.

 

[Tronald Crump]

They have an incredibly overrated coach who can't motivate his players and he doesn't have a plan B.

Are we talking about Griffin?

 

[Raiderdave]

without doubt they are.

 

[nick87]

At least Nick Cotric is a thing.
God i love that kid