Raiders' injury toll gets worse
Doug MacDougall.
Wednesday, 22 June 2005
Raiders coach Matt Elliott yesterday announced yet another injury blow for the former competition leaders, and several changes to his side for this week's clash against the Cowboys, in a hope to bring a dismal run of five losses to an end.
Struggling at ninth on the ladder with injuries to key personnel, the Raiders are desperate for a win and will look to young gun Matt Gafa to solve the much publicised Jason Smith absence at five-eighth.
Kris Kahler will replace the injured Matt Adamson in the second row, who will miss five weeks with rib cartilage damage, while Michael Robertson will come into the side after x-rays yesterday revealed winger Marshall Chalk suffered a fractured jaw against the Bulldogs last week and will be out for a month.
While Adamson took the field for barely a minute against the defending premiers before copping an accidental knee to the ribs, Chalk played 50 minutes without realising his jaw was fractured.
"It speaks a little of the courage he's displayed for us. He's been playing with physical intent for the last five or six weeks and we're sorry for him, both for the fact the pain he's enduring but also because he's not going to get the chance to play for us on the weekend," Elliott said.
Elliott described the club as having a "ribathon" after last week's game against the Bulldogs, with Adamson and Phil Graham suffering the same injury which kept Clinton Schifcofske out for five weeks, and admits they are stretched to the limit.
"We're in a little bit of a circumstance at the moment where most of our changes are down to not great performance in premier league and not bad performance in first grade, but injury," Elliott said.
Other changes include Craig Frawley moving to the centres, while Jermaine Ale will remain in the side following his strong performance last week. Prop Troy Thompson has recovered from a pinched nerve in the neck, and fellow front-rower Josh Miller has been cleared after he suffered concussion following a massive collision with Bulldogs enforcer Mark O'Meley last week.
Elliott is confident his promotion of Gafa - who hasn't missed a game all year - to five-eighth will bring results.
"Matty certainly has the confidence and the assertiveness as a player to get in charge of our team, and that's probably something we've been lacking," Elliott said.
Despite widespread changes to the starting side this year, Elliott remained pleased with the work ethic of his players but was adamant it was time for results.
"Attitude hasn't been an issue for us. I certainly can't question the effort the players are displaying, but we've suffered in our execution," Elliott said.
Hodgson horses around
Raider Michael Hodgson lined up against two Sydney-class racehorses yesterday in a fundraising effort for injured Canberra Jockey Ray Silburn at Thoroughbred Park.
A confident Hodgson declared himself an "unbackable favourite" pre-race and was given a 100m start on Little Shrek and Old Ma Jones, which both raced 200m.
However, after privately admitting he hoped "fear would get me through" Hodgson appeared to be run down in the final few metres by the Matt Dale-trained runners.
It was only after a 'steward's enquiry' that the victory was awarded to the two-legged competitor, earning the Ray Silburn appeal $5000 courtesy of the Queanbeyan Leagues Club.
Silburn suffered serious spinal injuries from a race fall in February at Thoroughbred Park. His wife Dana thanked the public for the support the family has received.
"I'm surprised at the people who have come together to help Ray, myself and the children - it's overwhelming," she said. The Raiders are using Saturday's match against the Cowboys to raise awareness of the fundraising effort, and ACTTAB has supported the move, and will donate $1 to the appeal for every spectator who attends.
