Raiders could follow Tongue to add more bite

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[font=Verdana,Arial]Raiders could follow Tongue to add more bite[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial]RMaxwell[/font]
[font=Verdana, arial]Tuesday, 14 June 2005[/font]

[font=verdana,arial] If there's one player every other Raider could learn something from, it's Alan Tongue. [/font] [font=verdana,arial] While his off-field personality sees him as one of the more popular members of the Raiders' squad, his on-field attitude has seen him rise to be one of Canberra's most consistent players this season. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] His performance during Saturday night's loss to the Broncos was a prime example. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] Despite the Raiders clocking up their fourth consecutive loss in wet and trying conditions, Tongue stood tall to lead the way up front. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] His remarkable 56 tackles and nine hit-ups kept Canberra in the contest for the majority of the match. Before kick-off, coach Matt Elliott rearranged his starting team promoting, among others, Tongue to the starting line-up. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] Why? Because, in the coaches words, "it was Alan Tongue weather". <script> </script> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="http://ad.au.doubleclick.net/jump/N799.emitch.3d/B1625432.2;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=300x250;ord=1406200593929?"> <IMG SRC="http://ad.au.doubleclick.net/ad/N799.emitch.3d/B1625432.2;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=300x250;ord=1406200593929?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=250 ALT="Click Here"></A> </NOSCRIPT> [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] "He gets out of marker, puts a lot of kick pressure on, chases kicks hard, he's got good feet," Elliott said in his post-match press conference. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] While admitting he actually preferred dry-weather football, Tongue humbly credited the wet for his astounding defensive feats. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] "With doing so much defence it probably takes a bit away from my attack and I probably didn't do as much but it was one of those nights where it was sort of easier to defend than it was to attack," he said. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] "It was also a bit slower because of the conditions which made it easier to get into a few more tackles." [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] Season 2005 has been the best on record for Tongue. The 24-year-old missed two matches after injuring his rib during Canberra's round-four victory over the Dragons but has had no other complaints. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] It is in stark contrast to last season, when Tongue had surgery on his shoulder after injuring it during the Raiders' round-six loss to the Sharks and missed the remainder of the year as a result. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] Despite the obvious disappointment of having to miss the majority of 2004, Tongue said his sideline stint was a large part of his renewed success. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] "I've had a bit of a think and tried to work out how I've found a bit more confidence this year," he said. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] "I'm sure last year had something to do with it, making me realise how lucky you are to be a part of the game and I've just got to keep riding it and keep improving each week and keep learning about my game. [/font]

[font=verdana,arial] "There's a lot of improvement left in me, that's for sure." [/font]

 

[legend]

I did the live update for this game and Tongue had a blinder. He was awesome and looks to have worked hard on his skills and bulked up a bit at the same time. Tongue has become and inspiration and I hope the other players can follow his lead.

Josh Miller had a fine game too and employed a very smart play int he wet conditions, turning your back into the defensive line to ensure you don't drop the ball and even if you do, it's a knock back.

 

[Chachi]

Under the conditions it proved to be a good move to promote Tongue and Lomu to the starting lineup. It will be very interesting to see who starts in the forwards this weekend. Any of those guys would be hard to drop - but keeping Hodgo and Adamson on the bench is a big call too.

 

[Stuart]

I thought Adamson played well and would be surprised if he was left out of the starting team considering he has been so good for us all season,

 

[legend]

Gafa should go from the backline to make way for Mogg. I'd like to see Ale promoted as well to take Phil's place. This would be my side:

Schif
Howell
Ale
Mogg
Chalk
Campese
Withers
Croker
Tongue
Kahler
Lomu
Woolford
Thompson

Adamson
Miller
Hindmarsh
Hodgson

 

[jed]

Robbo definitely won't be back on the bench, he's injured his ribs and will be out for at least another week (do I hear a collective sigh of relief?). I think Ale's definitely due for a call-up, and Gafa's been nothing special the last month or so, he's got to be the one to make way.

Starting last weekend with Lomu, Kahler & Tongue was a huge gamble, but I was impressed with how it went - we went very close to scoring the first try of the match, and having a bench with the calibre of Adamson, Miller, Hodgson & Hindmarsh could be a masterstroke, giving 4 above-average forwards a go at a tiring opposition.

 

[ausraider]

Gafa should go from the backline to make way for Mogg. I'd like to see Ale promoted as well to take Phil's place. This would be my side:

Schif
Howell
Ale
Mogg
Chalk
Campese
Withers
Croker
Tongue
Kahler
Lomu
Woolford
Thompson

Adamson
Miller
Hindmarsh
Hodgson

Good side Legend but I would drop Withers to the bench in place of Hindy and give Carney a fresh go with hopefully coaching staff and senior players rallying around him.thus far I don't think he gotten any support or confidence from mentioned.As far as Withers is concerned he has produced nothing for us and his organising capbilities has to be questioned at best.Bring on Carney and let him rip and enjoy his FG footy for a game or two.Iam sure

 

[Brimmer]

For all those who reckon tongue was crap last year.... boo ya!

 

[Roy Rover]

Credit were credit is due. I always thought Tongue was useless and his sidestep was never gonna get him past anyone but he's proved me wrong. He ain't half bad for a ginger.

 

[Brimmer]

Don't blame him... It's God's Joke...