We could be in for one hell of a dog fight if a few results go the Raiders way and they remain in contention for the final spot. Lookout I say.......
[font=Verdana,Arial]Raiders still a shot for top eight[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial]PFitzgerald[/font]
[font=Verdana, arial]Monday, 22 August 2005[/font]
[font=verdana,arial]A top-eight position is still in reach for the Canberra Raiders.
So is the wooden spoon.
The was the fallout after another round of upsets as the most open NRL season in history heads into its penultimate round of home-and-away matches.
Manly's 62-point loss to Cronulla yesterday opened a small window of opportunity for Canberra's slim top-eight prospects, despite a fifth consecutive loss to the Cowboys on Saturday night.
But on the flipside of the equation, wins to Newcastle, South Sydney and Penrith over the weekend has made the battle for the wooden spoon as intriguing as that for the minor premiership.
Canberra will know before it runs onto Parramatta Stadium on Sunday afternoon whether or not it is still a mathematical possibility of making the play-offs.
To have any chance, the Raiders need the New Zealand Warriors to defeat Manly at Brookvale Oval on Saturday night.
An added bonus would be the Broncos officially ending the Roosters' season on Friday night. Canberra must then defeat Parramatta on Sunday afternoon and also beat Manly at Canberra Stadium the following Saturday night and hope a handful of other results go their way.
The top seven teams on the ladder at the completion of round 24 are guaranteed a finals berth.
Such is the evenness of the 2005 competition the next five teams on the ladder can conceivably fill eighth position and a finals berth.
Manly (26 points), the Bulldogs (23 points), the Roosters (22 points), Penrith (22 points) and the Raiders (22 points) are still in contention for the all-important eighth position.
Of those teams the Roosters, Panthers and Raiders still remain possible - albeit improbable - chances of finishing last.
Canberra's inspirational five-eighth Jason Smith was last night ruing his side's most recent loss to the Cowboys but had thoughts only for making the play-offs.
"We know we've still got that slim chance again, as we have done for the past four weeks now, so we're not going to just throw our hands up and give in," he said.
"That's not the nature of our team.
"We've got that great fighting attitude and it's a team I enjoy playing with and love to be involved in. When you're in a side that is as committed as what our side is, it's fantastic."
The Canberra Times can reveal that following the loss in Townsville on Saturday night, Raiders coach Matt Elliott told his players they were still a small chance of making the finals but that they had to win both their remaining games, one of them by at least 50 points.
Heading into yesterday's matches to conclude round 24, the Raiders' points differential was so far behind Manly, the prospect of a top-eight finish was little more than a dream.
But since Cronulla handed the Sea Eagles a 62-point hiding, the hopes of Raiders players and fans alike have been once again boosted.
Smith said that had some certain things gone Canberra's way in recent times, the agony of being at the mercy of other results would have been avoided.
"My belief is if we didn't have half the injuries we have this year, we'd be in the top six without a doubt," he claimed.
"We've gone through a bad patch and certainly referee calls haven't gone our way.
"Obviously, losing our last five games when our attitude and intent was 100 per cent, it's proof that nobody, not one person, gives up."
Playing his 16th season of professional rugby league, Smith has represented his state, country and played around the world in a stellar career but yesterday labelled the current Canberra side as "the most loyal and willing to help a teammate" as he has played with.
"I've never seen a gutsier side. I've been proud of the boys for the last six weeks," he said. "I've never felt like that for any team I've played in and that's what makes me so proud to play in a side like this." [/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial]Raiders still a shot for top eight[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial]PFitzgerald[/font]
[font=Verdana, arial]Monday, 22 August 2005[/font]
[font=verdana,arial]A top-eight position is still in reach for the Canberra Raiders.
So is the wooden spoon.
The was the fallout after another round of upsets as the most open NRL season in history heads into its penultimate round of home-and-away matches.
Manly's 62-point loss to Cronulla yesterday opened a small window of opportunity for Canberra's slim top-eight prospects, despite a fifth consecutive loss to the Cowboys on Saturday night.
But on the flipside of the equation, wins to Newcastle, South Sydney and Penrith over the weekend has made the battle for the wooden spoon as intriguing as that for the minor premiership.
Canberra will know before it runs onto Parramatta Stadium on Sunday afternoon whether or not it is still a mathematical possibility of making the play-offs.
To have any chance, the Raiders need the New Zealand Warriors to defeat Manly at Brookvale Oval on Saturday night.
An added bonus would be the Broncos officially ending the Roosters' season on Friday night. Canberra must then defeat Parramatta on Sunday afternoon and also beat Manly at Canberra Stadium the following Saturday night and hope a handful of other results go their way.
The top seven teams on the ladder at the completion of round 24 are guaranteed a finals berth.
Such is the evenness of the 2005 competition the next five teams on the ladder can conceivably fill eighth position and a finals berth.
Manly (26 points), the Bulldogs (23 points), the Roosters (22 points), Penrith (22 points) and the Raiders (22 points) are still in contention for the all-important eighth position.
Of those teams the Roosters, Panthers and Raiders still remain possible - albeit improbable - chances of finishing last.
Canberra's inspirational five-eighth Jason Smith was last night ruing his side's most recent loss to the Cowboys but had thoughts only for making the play-offs.
"We know we've still got that slim chance again, as we have done for the past four weeks now, so we're not going to just throw our hands up and give in," he said.
"That's not the nature of our team.
"We've got that great fighting attitude and it's a team I enjoy playing with and love to be involved in. When you're in a side that is as committed as what our side is, it's fantastic."
The Canberra Times can reveal that following the loss in Townsville on Saturday night, Raiders coach Matt Elliott told his players they were still a small chance of making the finals but that they had to win both their remaining games, one of them by at least 50 points.
Heading into yesterday's matches to conclude round 24, the Raiders' points differential was so far behind Manly, the prospect of a top-eight finish was little more than a dream.
But since Cronulla handed the Sea Eagles a 62-point hiding, the hopes of Raiders players and fans alike have been once again boosted.
Smith said that had some certain things gone Canberra's way in recent times, the agony of being at the mercy of other results would have been avoided.
"My belief is if we didn't have half the injuries we have this year, we'd be in the top six without a doubt," he claimed.
"We've gone through a bad patch and certainly referee calls haven't gone our way.
"Obviously, losing our last five games when our attitude and intent was 100 per cent, it's proof that nobody, not one person, gives up."
Playing his 16th season of professional rugby league, Smith has represented his state, country and played around the world in a stellar career but yesterday labelled the current Canberra side as "the most loyal and willing to help a teammate" as he has played with.
"I've never seen a gutsier side. I've been proud of the boys for the last six weeks," he said. "I've never felt like that for any team I've played in and that's what makes me so proud to play in a side like this." [/font]
