[font=Verdana,Arial]Raiders' problem position - Gafa out to cure five-eighth woes[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial] By Peter Fitzgerald Rugby league [/font]
[font=Verdana, arial]Thursday, 23 June 2005[/font]
[font=verdana,arial] It has become the "Canberra Curse" at the Raiders this season. [/font] [font=verdana,arial] Jason Smith has been injured twice while patrolling it. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Todd Carney has failed to master it. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] And Terry Campese was this week dropped back to Premier League after struggling to ace it in his two recent attempts. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] But saviour Matt Gafa is confident he can take control of the five-eighth role for the Raiders on Saturday when he lines up in his former position against the North Queensland Cowboys in round 16 of the NRL. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] From the back-row to fullback, wing to centre and now five-eighth, the 26-year-old has become Mr Fix-It this season. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] In a year where coach Matt Elliott has already been forced to use 29 players in his first-grade side, Gafa is one of just four players to have played every senior game for Canberra in 2005. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] In a bid to resurrect the Raiders' fading season and get them back into the top eight, Gafa knows there has been no match more in need of a stellar performance from him that what faces him this weekend. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "This is definitely my biggest game of the year, but it's a challenge I'm looking forward to," he said yesterday. "I'm excited about the move to five-eighth and I hope the players around me are as well." [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Gafa has played two season for the Gungahlin Bulls in the Canberra Cup competition in the No6 jersey and had six opportunities in first grade with the Raiders last year in the pivotal role. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] One of the club's more valuable utilities, Gafa planned on catching up with Jason Smith after yesterday's training session to get some advice off the 33-year-old veteran. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Smith has been pivotal to the Raiders this season, the side has won only one of the five games Smith has missed - and that was a struggling win against the winless Knights. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] In his absence, Canberra has scored just 10 tries and conceded a worrying 23 while during the side's fruitful start to the year - all of which Smith was involved in - it piled on 21 tries and conceded only 12. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Gafa is aware of the shoes he has to fill. He admitted that while he would do his best to steer the Raiders around the paddock this weekend, there would be certain aspects of Smith's game he, or anyone else at the club, would not be able to replicate. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "It's just his leadership and his guidance around the field that's second to none," Gafa said. "It's like when you're sick and your mum's at home looking after you, you feel so much better, it's the same when Smithy's out on the field [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "Everyone feels 100 per cent confident in each other [but] when he's not there, everyone is looking for someone to turn to." [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] While Gafa has the pressure of replacing Smith in the middle of the paddock, Michael Robertson returns to first grade in place of Marshall Chalk on the wing. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Robertson began the season in Premier League before fighting his way into the top side. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Injury has since set him back but after an impressive return in Premier League against the Bulldogs last weekend, Robertson was given the nod for the Cowboys' encounter. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] The former Valley Dragons junior admits it's been a frustrating year to date but is eager to cement his first-grade position. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "It's not going to be easy against a side as good as the Cowboys but I'm sure our guys will lift, knowing the importance of the match," Robertson said yesterday. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "[The Cowboys] have got some of the best back-field players in the comp so it's going to be important for me and the rest of the outside backs to control them." [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Meanwhile, former junior Kangaroos representative Ryan Hinchcliffe yesterday re- signed with the Raiders for the next two seasons. Hinchcliffe, 20, joined the Raiders from Parramatta this year. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] He has been hampered by injuries during his last two seasons at the Eels but the former back-rower is now establishing himself as a hooker. [/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial] By Peter Fitzgerald Rugby league [/font]
[font=Verdana, arial]Thursday, 23 June 2005[/font]
[font=verdana,arial] It has become the "Canberra Curse" at the Raiders this season. [/font] [font=verdana,arial] Jason Smith has been injured twice while patrolling it. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Todd Carney has failed to master it. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] And Terry Campese was this week dropped back to Premier League after struggling to ace it in his two recent attempts. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] But saviour Matt Gafa is confident he can take control of the five-eighth role for the Raiders on Saturday when he lines up in his former position against the North Queensland Cowboys in round 16 of the NRL. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] From the back-row to fullback, wing to centre and now five-eighth, the 26-year-old has become Mr Fix-It this season. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] In a year where coach Matt Elliott has already been forced to use 29 players in his first-grade side, Gafa is one of just four players to have played every senior game for Canberra in 2005. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] In a bid to resurrect the Raiders' fading season and get them back into the top eight, Gafa knows there has been no match more in need of a stellar performance from him that what faces him this weekend. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "This is definitely my biggest game of the year, but it's a challenge I'm looking forward to," he said yesterday. "I'm excited about the move to five-eighth and I hope the players around me are as well." [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Gafa has played two season for the Gungahlin Bulls in the Canberra Cup competition in the No6 jersey and had six opportunities in first grade with the Raiders last year in the pivotal role. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] One of the club's more valuable utilities, Gafa planned on catching up with Jason Smith after yesterday's training session to get some advice off the 33-year-old veteran. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Smith has been pivotal to the Raiders this season, the side has won only one of the five games Smith has missed - and that was a struggling win against the winless Knights. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] In his absence, Canberra has scored just 10 tries and conceded a worrying 23 while during the side's fruitful start to the year - all of which Smith was involved in - it piled on 21 tries and conceded only 12. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Gafa is aware of the shoes he has to fill. He admitted that while he would do his best to steer the Raiders around the paddock this weekend, there would be certain aspects of Smith's game he, or anyone else at the club, would not be able to replicate. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "It's just his leadership and his guidance around the field that's second to none," Gafa said. "It's like when you're sick and your mum's at home looking after you, you feel so much better, it's the same when Smithy's out on the field [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "Everyone feels 100 per cent confident in each other [but] when he's not there, everyone is looking for someone to turn to." [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] While Gafa has the pressure of replacing Smith in the middle of the paddock, Michael Robertson returns to first grade in place of Marshall Chalk on the wing. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Robertson began the season in Premier League before fighting his way into the top side. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Injury has since set him back but after an impressive return in Premier League against the Bulldogs last weekend, Robertson was given the nod for the Cowboys' encounter. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] The former Valley Dragons junior admits it's been a frustrating year to date but is eager to cement his first-grade position. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "It's not going to be easy against a side as good as the Cowboys but I'm sure our guys will lift, knowing the importance of the match," Robertson said yesterday. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] "[The Cowboys] have got some of the best back-field players in the comp so it's going to be important for me and the rest of the outside backs to control them." [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] Meanwhile, former junior Kangaroos representative Ryan Hinchcliffe yesterday re- signed with the Raiders for the next two seasons. Hinchcliffe, 20, joined the Raiders from Parramatta this year. [/font]
[font=verdana,arial] He has been hampered by injuries during his last two seasons at the Eels but the former back-rower is now establishing himself as a hooker. [/font]
