LU Canberra Raiders preview 2007

[northwest9]

I reckon their will be a lot of Raider fans with even more egg on their faces than now, when Elliot guides Penrith into the top eight, and the Raiders come bottom or very close to it.

i cant wait for the raiders fans to go silent. elliot has been propping them up for ages, they are gone this year

 

[Raiders Plight]

I reckon their will be a lot of Raider fans with even more egg on their faces than now, when Elliot guides Penrith into the top eight, and the Raiders come bottom or very close to it.

why do we have egg on our faces now? i must have forgot already...

 

[Raider Azz]

I reckon their will be a lot of Raider fans with even more egg on their faces than now, when Elliot guides Penrith into the top eight, and the Raiders come bottom or very close to it.

good 'ol simon, LU's number 1 keyboard warrior.

let me ask you something, are you really this stupid? or are you just putting on some kind of act around here to fool everybody.

 

[skeepe]

i cant wait for the raiders fans to go silent. elliot has been propping them up for ages, they are gone this year

It was much the other way around. Trust me on this.

 

[mxlegend99]

Right, the Raiders were so talented they propped their coach up. LOL. When it came to winning games, it had nothing to do with Matt Elliot coaching, but every loss was because of him. It's Elliots fault the Doggies stomped the Raiders in the finals.

Elliot has the core of the 2003 Premiership team to work with at Panthers, ontop of the SG Ball, Harold Matthews and Jersey Flegg Premiership teams of 2006. Lang didn't even crack the top 10 with this team. He is still stuck in 2003.

There is no way Elliot can do worse then John Lang did the past 2 years. Already he has gotten our players into far better shape then they have ever been. Elliot is focused on being lean, fit and mobile. Lang was focused on being bigger then the opposition. Which is great except they didn't have the stamina for the workload he put on them.

No wonder Elliot was happy to leave the Raiders, his fans think they have the best players in the League and that if they aren't winning, it's the coaches fault.

 

[Inferno]

I reckon their will be a lot of Raider fans with even more egg on their faces than now, when Elliot guides Penrith into the top eight, and the Raiders come bottom or very close to it.

Alternatively I think there will be a lot of egg on Panthers fans, when the Raiders finish higher than the Panthers and Elliot will be fresh out of excuses.

 

[mxlegend99]

Alternatively I think there will be a lot of egg on Panthers fans, when the Raiders finish higher than the Panthers and Elliot will be fresh out of excuses.

:lol:

That's really going to happen.

They lost the core of their team. They have a coach who said that he has no stars, and no one is guaranteed of a first grade spot.

 

[skeepe]

:lol:

That's really going to happen.

Of course it will. Just you wait and see.

They lost the core of their team.

No we didn't. The only true loss was Schifcofske, the rest I could care less about.

They have a coach who said that he has no stars

You must be mistaking Neil Henry for Matthew Elliott. Elliott was the one who frequently said we had no stars. He also said Canberra was a sh*t place to live, amongst other things, and that Canberra can never attract stars. He talked down the team the entire time he was here, full well knowing how much talent we had and the fact that he was underachieving with it. The media swallowed the bait hook, line, sinker, rod and copy of angling time.

and no one is guaranteed of a first grade spot.

I would have thought competition for spots is a good thing, wouldn't you? But hey if you're happy for your players to become complacent because they know they won't be dropped (and trust me, under Elliott, they won't be) then good for you.

 

[VictorTheViking]

Penrith's team, aside from Gower and Clinton doesnt really have anybody either, and with Elliott coaching.....good luck, lol

 

[peter_raiders]

You forgot Priddis. Their superstar halfback to be.

 

[Jono078]

Penrith's team, aside from Gower and Clinton doesnt really have anybody either, and with Elliott coaching.....good luck, lol

Lol..

Rhys Wesser
Luke Lewis
Luke Priddis
Frank Pritchard
Trent Waterhouse

They have a great core team and then quite a few averages around them, but to say Gower and Clinton are their only good players is wrong.

 

[mxlegend99]

No we didn't. The only true loss was Schifcofske, the rest I could care less about.

Oh. well If you don't care, then those players mustn't be losses. :lol:

You must be mistaking Neil Henry for Matthew Elliott. Elliott was the one who frequently said we had no stars. He also said Canberra was a sh*t place to live, amongst other things, and that Canberra can never attract stars. He talked down the team the entire time he was here, full well knowing how much talent we had and the fact that he was underachieving with it. The media swallowed the bait hook, line, sinker, rod and copy of angling time.

Uhhh no. A recent article from Neil Henry said even Alan Tongue is not guaranteed a starting spot in first grade.

I would have thought competition for spots is a good thing, wouldn't you? But hey if you're happy for your players to become complacent because they know they won't be dropped (and trust me, under Elliott, they won't be) then good for you.

Ummm, you must be mistaking John Lang for Matt Elliot. Our players have been warned that if they aren't performing, they will be replaced. Elliot has gotten Rooney and Clinton into better shape then ever before, and has listed a squad of 26 players for this weekends trial to give our young fellas a run. While guys like Gower, Priddis, Wesser etc. aren't really going to have much trouble keeping a spot, guys like Rooney, Lewis, Wallace, Firman, etc. are going to have to perform or the youngsters nipping at their heels will replace them.

Penrith's team, aside from Gower and Clinton doesnt really have anybody either, and with Elliott coaching.....good luck, lol

Luke Priddis (Clive Churchill winner, ALWAYS one of the best on the field)
Rhys Wesser (3rd or 4th highest try scorer last year)
Michael Gordon (a try per game for the last few rounds, fastest player in our team, breaks tackles frequently)
Frank Pritchard (One of the best forwards in the Kiwi GF team)
Paul Aiton (of the games he played last year, i'd say he made more linebreaks then any of our other players, a rock solid defender, and very powerful player).

Hmmmm. I guess the only way this arguement can be settled, is by waiting for results.

Be pretty funny if both teams finished last and second last, or first and second though. It wouldn't sort the arguement out at all. :lol:

 

[skeepe]

Our players have been warned that if they aren't performing, they will be replaced.

We'll be going round in circles on the rest of the argument, but this line here... Elliott said that he would do this at the Raiders, yet Jason Bulgarelli and Matt Gafa continued to get game after game after game... non-performing players were not dumped, despite promises to do so.

 

[peter_raiders]

Ummm, you must be mistaking John Lang for Matt Elliot. Our players have been warned that if they aren't performing, they will be replaced. Elliot has gotten Rooney and Clinton into better shape then ever before, and has listed a squad of 26 players for this weekends trial to give our young fellas a run. While guys like Gower, Priddis, Wesser etc. aren't really going to have much trouble keeping a spot, guys like Rooney, Lewis, Wallace, Firman, etc. are going to have to perform or the youngsters nipping at their heels will replace them.

And you believe this? :lol:

 

[VictorTheViking]

Hmmmm. I guess the only way this arguement can be settled, is by waiting for results.

Be pretty funny if both teams finished last and second last, or first and second though. It wouldn't sort the arguement out at all. :lol:

Best thing said in this thread so far, as for my earlier comment about penrith players, I was mistaken.

Both teams have a decent core of players, but like mx said, only waiting for the results is going to settle this arguement

 

[mxlegend99]

We'll be going round in circles on the rest of the argument, but this line here... Elliott said that he would do this at the Raiders, yet Jason Bulgarelli and Matt Gafa continued to get game after game after game... non-performing players were not dumped, despite promises to do so.

Well, the only player really deserving to be dropped for us, has taken him seriously.

Luke Rooney has gone from a slow, out of shape dopey looking winger.
To a quick, in his peak, strong, dopey looking winger (that bloody nose is terrible).

And here's our probable backline:
1. Rhys Wesser
2. Michael Gordon
3. <up for grabs>
4. Luke Lewis
5. Luke Rooney

Players playing for that free position, or to take one off someone else.
Michael Jennings
Peewee Moke
Geoff Daniella
Nathan Smith (ex Raider junior)
Nick Youngquest
Mark O'Halloran

Now each one of those guys will be playing to try and take that open spot, or replace someone out of form.

And you believe this? :lol:

He has given 26 players a chance to prove themselves in this trial. 3 Players missing are guys he really wants in first grade... Peewee Moke as a utility, Michael Jennings as a centre, and Brett Firman as a 5/8. With those guys out, they will have to earn their spots back.

Honestly, i hope we manage to not have to drop anyone, and that everyone performs all year. But i can't see Elliot being anywhere near as loyal to keeping Rooney in first grade if he is a constant let down like last year. John Lang NEVER replaced anyone until injury forced his hand. That's the only reason Michael Gordon and Paul Aiton finally got a run in first grade.

 

[skeepe]

He has given 26 players a chance to prove themselves in this trial. 3 Players missing are guys he really wants in first grade... Peewee Moke as a utility, Michael Jennings as a centre, and Brett Firman as a 5/8. With those guys out, they will have to earn their spots back.

Honestly, i hope we manage to not have to drop anyone, and that everyone performs all year. But i can't see Elliot being anywhere near as loyal to keeping Rooney in first grade if he is a constant let down like last year. John Lang NEVER replaced anyone until injury forced his hand. That's the only reason Michael Gordon and Paul Aiton finally got a run in first grade.

Look, maybe Elliott is taking a different approach this year, and if he is, great.

But the things you're complaining about with John Lang are EXACTLY THE SAME as what many Raiders fans were complaining about. The proof will be in the pudding I guess.

 

[jed]

and no one is guaranteed of a first grade spot.

Uhhh no. A recent article from Neil Henry said even Alan Tongue is not guaranteed a starting spot in first grade.

Glad you cleared that one up for us champ. In the context that was written, the captain hadn't even been chosen yet. That is likely to change now that Tongue is captain..

Our players have been warned that if they aren't performing, they will be replaced.

Gosh darn it, that sounds awfully like

and no one is guaranteed of a first grade spot.

Nathan Smith (ex Raider junior)

:lol: Just as long as no-one informs him that Panthers is a handy replacement for Mooseheads :lol:

 

[mxlegend99]

NEW Canberra coach Neil Henry revealed no player in his 25-man squad was guaranteed of playing first grade this year - frustrating his attempts to name a captain.
The Raiders will offer a no-frills NRL squad in 2007 - all players rated equal with none attracting superstar status.
Canberra has lost its five biggest-name players from last season - Clinton Schifcofske, Jason Smith, Simon Woolford, Adam Mogg and Jason Croker, players who would have been automatic candidates for the captaincy.
Underrated Alan Tongue would be a slight favourite but Henry could well start the hard-working back rower from the bench in some matches.

So that bolded area is the same as Elliot threatening players that don't perform, with being dropped? We have "superstars" that just can't be dropped. Gower, Priddis, Wesser etc. are guys that just couldn't be dropped.

Raiders have Tongue, who couldn't be dropped (no way would any coach ddrop him from a game if healthy). No one else though, is a player that has earned a guaranteed spot (according to Neil Henry).

Every team has a few guys who have a spot guaranteed. Raiders lost the majority of there players this year. Whether that helps or hurts them, remains to be seen. The competition for a first grade spot can do miraculous things for young players.

 

[skeepe]

Nobody should ever, ever, ever be guaranteed a first grade spot. It has to be earned. Guaranteeing spots breeds complacency.

I also wouldn't set much stock by a Dean Ritchie article. The Sydney press has no idea about Canberra, and the actual quotes are simply Henry saying that there are no guarantees (which I like to hear, encourages everyone to play better), and that good form will be rewarded.

But hey, continue to believe that Dean Ritchie and the idiots at the Telegraph know best. It'll certainly do your credibility a world of good.