How do you feel about being favourites for the Spoon

[dubby]

Pretty much what the title says. I say, bring it on. There is no way in the light of day will this team finish last. Of course, that depends on the injury and suspension toll again, but talent wise we have the ability to crack the 8 (only just mind you).

So much depends on key players like J SMith, Shif, and Germ. If these guys are fit and confident,there is no reason the rest of the team won't fire. Prior to 2003 we weren't rated a chance, i have that same feeling again....

This year (2006) will surprise alot of critics.

 

[Raider_69]

anywhere between 8th and 12th is where i think we can and will finish

 

[Mr Angry]

Can you bet against a team getting it?

 

[laurie]

giv centre bet a buzz

 

[SOULS 04]

eh i dont care

 

[azza]

Can't blame people for tipping us for the spoon though, of all the teams in that bottom quadrant of the comp in 2005 we were the only ones going backwards IMO. Not to mention Elliott has us playing the most bland, unattractive and easy to combat style of football imaginable.

I still think however that if we have better luck with injuries we might surprise a few people and finish 10th-13th. I think our young blokes like Weyman (For the 3 games he plays a year), Carney, Zillman, Milne, Ale etc need another year of FG experience before we can be confident of heading to the finals.

 

[TiTTieS_[CNTDN]]

I think in a way it is fair - but only just. They almost won the spoon this year so things don't look great.

Azza, I think the reason for them not winning much was simply too many injuries, not necessarilly key players. There were too many out and cohesion ended up out the window.

 

[Roy Rover]

I think we've pretty much got it all wrapped up.
On paper who has a worse side than us?
Smith's going to be a year older as well.

 

[cashyyy]

i think its great i just went 2 the tab and put money on the raiders
big pay out lol
go the raiders

 

[sydraider]

Reading about forumers, tipping the raiders for the spoon is like masturbating with a cheesegrater, slightly amusing but mostly painful.

 

[aussies1st]

On paper its a fair call. I however believe in our forwards. And if Elliot would drop the nuffies in the back line that too wouldn't look to bad.

 

[Raider_69]

Reading about forumers, tipping the raiders for the spoon is like masturbating with a cheesegrater, slightly amusing but mostly painful.

id like to know just how masturbating with a cheese grater could be in anyway amusing :?

 

[thickos]

I'm not fazed by being tagged with 'spoon favourites' at all. I can see why we are favourites - 2nd last with only a likely-to-improve Newcastle behind us.

However how much improvement is in us? I think plenty, especially with a decent injury toll this year. Keeping combinations on the park will be vital. Our forward pack has a brand new look this season, but the talent is there - we've got a lot of big, atheletic, young forwards now that can definitely get the job done. The backline is at times a worry but there are players with potential (Ale, Milne, hell even a fit Frawley) who can add a lot of spark and complement guys like Schif and Chalk.

Todd Carney will be the starting halfback and this off-season is his most crucial yet. He needs to run the side all summer, he has to develop the authority to call the shots, let Smithy do his thing ( and we all know he's a genius).

With two SG Ball titles in three years and a PL title in 2003 the core of emerging talent is at its strongest in years. The 'experts' don't know this, they look at the gains/losses and think we're royally f**ked. Don't listen to them, because the experts on the Raiders are here in this forum. We're the people who know the ins and outs of the side, and putting bias aside I think most of us recognise where we can place on the ladder.

The experts never picked Penrith in 2003, or the Tigers in 2005. I'm not saying we'll win the comp but the 'experts' can go shove that wooden spoon somewhere else!

 

[legend]

On form we deserve and will more than likely get it. After our discussion on the make up of the forward pack, I think next year and any future year under Elliott will be long and hard and I don't mean that in a good way.

 

[edabomb]

Am I happy about it? No, because it means another year when we aren't realistic threats for the premiership.

Is it justifiable? Yes, we were the worst team over the last two months of the comp.

 

[dubby]

I'm not fazed by being tagged with 'spoon favourites' at all. I can see why we are favourites - 2nd last with only a likely-to-improve Newcastle behind us.

However how much improvement is in us? I think plenty, especially with a decent injury toll this year. Keeping combinations on the park will be vital. Our forward pack has a brand new look this season, but the talent is there - we've got a lot of big, atheletic, young forwards now that can definitely get the job done. The backline is at times a worry but there are players with potential (Ale, Milne, hell even a fit Frawley) who can add a lot of spark and complement guys like Schif and Chalk.

Todd Carney will be the starting halfback and this off-season is his most crucial yet. He needs to run the side all summer, he has to develop the authority to call the shots, let Smithy do his thing ( and we all know he's a genius).

With two SG Ball titles in three years and a PL title in 2003 the core of emerging talent is at its strongest in years. The 'experts' don't know this, they look at the gains/losses and think we're royally f**ked. Don't listen to them, because the experts on the Raiders are here in this forum. We're the people who know the ins and outs of the side, and putting bias aside I think most of us recognise where we can place on the ladder.

The experts never picked Penrith in 2003, or the Tigers in 2005. I'm not saying we'll win the comp but the 'experts' can go shove that wooden spoon somewhere else!

Preach it brother!!

 

[thickos]

Thanks dubby... and yes a bit of praying wouldn't go astray either. 2005 was the most luckless year I've ever experienced as a fan, yet the players kept their heads up and tried their guts out... with that attitude you would hope the tide will turn.

 

[dubby]

Have to agree with you there Thickos, 05 will go down in history as "the year we all got hurt".
With some consistency on the field, results will come. We do NOT have a bad team on paper. If you disagree with that remark, then remember that games are not played on paper anyway. "Reputation counts for nothing on the battlefield".
We won't win the comp in 06, but i bet all i am as a fan that we will not come last, we will not be the one dimensial team everyone expects us to be, we will not have a repeat of this year.
I reiterate what THickos said before, Panthers spoon to premiers in 03, the Tigers we tipped to be near the bottom of the ladder this year, and nobody gave the Cowboys a rats chance a few years ago either.
I will not give up on this team, this club, this band of players who are doing the best they can week in and week out. I will not sit back and bag the coach either.

 

[whatwhat]

After the dreadful injury and suspension toll this year we only dropped our heads in the last game and a half. We were in the hunt in the other games and we could of even beaten the Eels at Parra.

On paper our side is better than a few other teams most notably Warriors, Rabbits and even Penrith and maybe Storm. We need some luck this year and just need the boys to play with the spirit they did for most of last season..

 

[Sully]

Very Fair.

Look at our form last year and the team we beat (rabbits) can home with a wet sail, they looked promising. If there was another 2 rounds last year I think we would have taken the spoon.


The comp. is so evenly matched (unless you support the Raiders who cant buy for sh*te and pay rubbish players big $$$) I think we will see another year similar to last. So many teams in the hunt.

I think we will come our traditional place over the last few years 8th.

And get booted week 1 (also tradition)