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2013 Raiders?

legend

Coach
Messages
15,150
Henry did well and I think with him still in charge, we'd be a contender every year. I loved his attacking style of play and he was getting guys like Carney and Zillman to destroy opposing sides.
 
Messages
886
1. Dugan
2. Robinson
3. Croker
4. Ferguson
5. Wighton
6. Campese
7. Williams
8. Shillington
9. McCrone
10. Tilse
11. Papalii
12. Thompson
13. Fensom

14. McIlwrick
15. Mataora
16. Learoyd-Lahrs
17. White

18. Buttriss
19. Thurling
20. Picker
21. Nicholls
22. Earl
23. Boyd
24. Lee
25. Kennedy

Do seem to be lacking in depth- something we have possessed in years past. Think Mataora can wreck havoc as a second rower (back to his best position). We still lack in some areas, and as I mentioned depth is obviously one of them. Hooker may still be our Achilles heel, however if Stuart comes to the helm we know he is a fan of McCrone being used in dummy half and I have no doubts Macca can become a decent one at that. There certainly is no guarantee we will see Campese play out a full season, nor Dugan. With a starting 17 like that, however the only way a team should falter is through injuries or poor coaching. I'd have no qualms in seeing Williams demoted back to Mounties, with Campese and McCrone in the halves and Buttriss/McIllwrick sharing hooking duties.

Obviously there remains uncertainty as to whether or not Campese will return, whether Berrigan will continue on, whilst I wouldn't mind betting we will be signing a dummy half.

Coach must be one Ricky Stuart.
 
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mongoose

Coach
Messages
11,216
Henry did well and I think with him still in charge, we'd be a contender every year. I loved his attacking style of play and he was getting guys like Carney and Zillman to destroy opposing sides.

err...Do you mean Campese and Milne?

We went on that amazing streak after Carney got suspended. Zillman has never destoyed any opposition... and he was constantly on the sidelines injured for us.
 

aussies1st

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
28,154
Wouldn't mind trying Robinson at centre, he would be a bit more involved compared to on the wing and we know he has a good passing game. The Williams Campo half is what I'd like to see and it is what should have been the one this year.
 
Messages
2,020
I would like to see:

1. Dugan
2. Croker
3. Wighton
4. Fergusson
5. Robinson

6. Campese
7. McCrone

8. Shillington
9. Waddell
10. White
11. Papalii
12. Thompson
13. Fensom

14. TLL
15. Tilse
16. Edwards
17. Mckilwrick

2 big defensively strong centres
2 quick elusive wingers
McCrones spot is open but the main contenders are still developing
Edwards probably only gets 20 mins for Papalii to have a breather
 

mongoose

Coach
Messages
11,216
I would have Williams over McCrone.

Williams can get better and has been.

McCrone is as good as he's ever going to be and his kicking game is hopeless.
 

legend

Coach
Messages
15,150
I doubt anything is going to change as far as Furner goes, especially if we sneak into eighth spot. They'll lock him up for life ffs!
 

fourxman

Juniors
Messages
163
This is my side for 2013:

1. Dugan
2. Robinson/Wighton (whichever looks better at Centre - I am over Croker's defence)
3. Wighton/Robinson
4. Ferguson
5. Earl
6. Campese
7. Williams (or get a new half - not McCrone)
8. Shillington
9. McIllwrick/McCrone (or get a new hooker)
10. White
11. Papalii
12. Thompson
13. Fensom

14. McCrone/McIllwrick
15. TLL/Kennedy
16. Tilse
17. Nicholls
 

legend

Coach
Messages
15,150
I think Croker has seriously improved his defence. He's still not perfect but much better than he was at the start of the season.

There is no way Earl will beat out Robinson or Wighton for a wing spot.

I see the side looking like this:

Dugan
Robinson
Croker
Ferguson
Wighton
Campese
Williams
Fensom
Papalii
Thompson
White
McIlwrick
Shillington

Tilse
TLL
McCrone
Nicholls/Mataora/Kennedy/Foster/Edwards
 

Cryptic

Juniors
Messages
1,450
This is my side for 2013:

1. Dugan
2. Robinson/Wighton (whichever looks better at Centre - I am over Croker's defence)
3. Wighton/Robinson
4. Ferguson
5. Earl
6. Campese
7. Williams (or get a new half - not McCrone)
8. Shillington
9. McIllwrick/McCrone (or get a new hooker)
10. White
11. Papalii
12. Thompson
13. Fensom

14. McCrone/McIllwrick
15. TLL/Kennedy
16. Tilse
17. Nicholls

Yeah I'm calling a tad harsh or you haven't been watching us the last month... Croker's defence has actually been good for the majority of it... And you're seriously saying lets cut our leading try scorer, point scorer, line breaker, finisher, etc? Even if he hadn't stepped up in defence, which again he has, you're meant to protect your good attack/poor defence players (example, Benji Marshall) by putting awesome defence players next to them... It's not something that we have ever really done (most likely from the lack of options)...

Also harsh on McCrone... While I would like to see him trialed more in the dummy half role he has, for the 2nd season running, been the only player who has consistantly done well for the majority of the year...

In 2013 we will need two things... Players out there consistantly, and experience... With Campese being injured so often and Dugan only just stringing four games together last weekend it shows how much the up and down injuries are killing us.... Also the fact our team is finally getting some experience on the field now as more and more get up their in game experience, I think we will start to see real improvements...
 
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legend

Coach
Messages
15,150
Now the season is over we can revisit this thread with a little moreinfo under our belts.
Some tough decisions to be made in a few key areas, most notably the halves and wingers.

I thought Robinson was awful on Saturday night. Did not look interested at all. Earl has shown he is a keeper and Wighton is a superstar in the making. I'd go with this lineup:

Dugan
Wighton
Croker
Ferguson
Earl/Robinson
Campese
Williams
Fensom
Papalii
Thompson
White
McCrone
Shillington

Tilse
TLL
Nicholls
Foster/Picker

Lee
Edwards
Kennedy
McIlwrick
 
Messages
3,445
Dugan
Earl
Wighton
Ferguson
Croker
Campo
Williams
Fensom
Thompson
Papalii
Shillington
McIlwrick/McCrone
White

Tilse
Kennedy/Edwards
TLL
McCrone/McIlwrick

Berro
Trev
RR
Lee
Mataora
Nicholls
Butts

My team hasnt changed too much. except Earl has cemented his wing spot.
Wighton or Croker could be on the wing or centre. RR is unlucky , but he is a better fullback than winger.

Edwards may get a bench spot , just for the fact we paid so much for him ( reported ), personal preference would be him playing at Mounties.
 

WaznTheGreat

Referee
Messages
24,263
Raiders would have been certainties for the top 4 with this team for years to come with a different coach,sadly this mob is never going to see its true potential under David Furner
 
Messages
3,591
1.Dugan
2.Robinson
3.Croker
4.Ferguson
5.Wighton
6.Campese
7.Williams
8.Shillington
9.Buttriss
10.White
11.Papalii
12.Thompson
13.Fensom

14.McCrone
15.Tilse
16.Edwards
17.Learoyd-Lahrs

Nicholls
Picker
McIllwrick
Mataora
Lee
Kennedy
Waddell
Berro
 
Messages
3,445
Credit has to be given to DF ( and the players ) from turning the club from 15th to 6th without our No1 playmaker.
We could have easily turned to an embarrassing rabble like Parra.

The test will come next year and how we back up this season.

The young players are now reaching the stage that they should be performing at NRL level every week.

There is still deficiencies in our game , like Marker defence that need rectifying in the off season
 

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