'Not out of our depth': Henry backs his makeshift side
David Jean
Canberra Raiders coach Neil Henry is confident his makeshift backline can outpoint a stingy Manly outfit tomorrow despite losing another key player to injury.
Scans yesterday revealed centre Phil Graham would be sidelined for up to 10 weeks with a ruptured medial ligament, meaning the Raiders will be without their most dangerous broken-play runner for the Canberra Stadium clash.
The 25-year-old will wear a knee brace for the next month and faces a further six weeks recovery time after that.
Graham said he was yet to come to terms with the devastating blow, which came just 30 minutes into his representative debut for Country on Thursday.
"I wasn't expecting to be like this after such a big game for my career," Graham said.
"I was expecting to still be on a high going into the Raiders game."
Graham vowed to return to the representative scene despite the massive setback.
"It gives you the desire to get better and try to go further with your career," he said.
"I've got a taste of it and seen how good it is. I'm going to try to put a bit more weight on and come back fitter and stronger than I have been in the last few weeks."
The Raiders are also likely to be without five-eighth Todd Carney - who is still battling a thigh injury - while first-choice winger Brett Kelly's injured ankle will keep him out for at least another four weeks.
Henry yesterday drafted utility Marshall Chalk into his squad in place of Graham. Terry Campese is likely to hang on to the No6 jersey in the absence of Carney.
The Sea Eagles are the equal-best defensive unit in the competition, having conceded only 82 points in seven games this season.
They kept the Raiders to just one try in round one while piling on six of their own.
Henry said it would be difficult to create point-scoring opportunities without Graham and Carney, but he backed their replacements to do the job.
"Phil is a big loss for us because he is one of our real attackers," Henry said.
"He can create something from nothing and he's a dangerous carrier of the ball.
"He's got a knack of popping up at times to get tries or to create opportunities so that part of his game will be missed.
"We've got a fair list of guys that have been injured or are injured so it is testing our depth, but the way the guys stepped up last week showed our depth is potentially quite good."
Chalk returns five weeks after breaking six ribs against Newcastle. He has played fullback, centre and in the backrow for the Raiders this year.
Henry said Chalk would directly oppose dangerous Manly ballrunner Steve Bell.
"He did all the full contact stuff this week and he's quite keen to get back into it," he said.
"He runs a good hard line and he's a bit more direct than Phil.
"He's solid there and he's a solid defender."
Henry will give Carney until today to prove his fitness after he missed last week's win over Penrith with a torn quad. Carney yesterday completed straight running drills, but he is yet to test his thigh with lateral movement and kicking.
"Unless he can convince me he's really right to go I just don't want to risk him," Henry said.
The Raiders' SG Ball team will play Parramatta for a place in next week's grand final at Western Weekender Stadium this afternoon.
The under-18s team won through to the semi-final with a 22-18 win over Illawarra in the qualifying final last week.
James Woolford scored two tries, with Steve Naughton and Jarrad Kennedy also crossing the tryline. Jarrod Croker kicked three goals.
