jed
First Grade
- Messages
- 9,280
Raiders look to build a foundation
March 14, 2006
Raiders Coach Matt Elliot said although the loss of Miller is a big blow to the side, the opportunity now presents itself to a host of other first grade hopefuls.
We need him on the park (Miller) and hes a loss most definitely, Elliot said. But he got some opportunity last year to play first grade and grabbed it with two hands, so weve got Michael Hodgson, Jason Williams, Trevor Thurling, Andrew Lomu, and Mick Weyman not to far away, so were going to see who jumps up and grabs their opportunity.
Elliot said the first round win against Manly was a positive start to the season, and looks forward to improvement from his side as the weeks go on.
It was a good solid performance and theres a lot that we can build on there, he said. There is a lot that we can improve on, so Im really pleased with the effort and thats a nice foundation for sure.
Elliot said he was proud of the way his three debutants handled the tough Brookvale conditions on Saturday night, and was also pleased with the progress with new recruit Thom Learoyd-Lahrs
I think the new boys were outstanding, we singled them out after the game and the other players acknowledged them, he said. I would like to throw Thommy Learoyd in there as well; I thought his first game for the club was a really solid performance.
Elliot confirmed his commitment to the new players by naming all three in the side for the match against the Knights on Sunday, and said he would continue to stick with the best seventeen players available based on form.
We did say leading into the game that we would pick the guys who were playing the best in the trials, and I think that was reconfirmed by the performance of those guys right across the park, he said.
Raiders captain Clinton Schifcofske echoed his coaches comments, and said the new crop of players rose to the occasion on Saturday, and complimented solid performances across the park for Canberra.
A few people have said to me that the new boys look like they were made to play first grade and they were probably three of our best performers, Schifcofske said. I think Simon Woolford was our best along with Thom Learoyd-Lahrs, and I thought Alan Tongue and Terry Martin were really impressive.
Schifcofske said he looks forward to a bumper crowd for the first home game of the season, and expected the Raiders to continue their good form against a Knights side full of quality players.
Joey will be playing so hopefully well get a good crowd and I think the people of Canberra should really get behind us, he said. We have plenty of young blokes from Canberra so theres plenty to cheer about and the proof will be in the pudding Sunday afternoon.
CANBERRA Vs NEWCASTLE
Canberra Stadium, Sunday March 19
Kickoff 3:00pm
1. CLINTON SCHIFCOFSKE (C)
2. ADRIAN PURTELL
3. PHIL GRAHAM
4. DAVID HOWELL
5. ADAM MOGG
6. JASON SMITH
7. LINCOLN WITHERS
8. WILLIE RASTON
9. SIMON WOOLFORD
10. TROY THOMPSON
11. BEN JONES
12. JASON CROKER
13. ALAN TONGUE
INTERCHANGE
14. TODD CARNEY
15. TERRY MARTIN
16. THOM LEAROYD-LARS
17. MICHAEL HODGSON
from http://www.raiders.com.au/season/news/06031401/
Canberra Raiders coach Matt Elliot has recalled hard working forward Michael Hodgson for the first home game against Newcastle on Sunday, after Josh Miller was ruled out for six months today after sustaining a knee injury in Canberras 27-14 win over Manly last weekend.
Hodgson was selected to play over Premier League front-rower Jason Williams and second rower Terry Campese, and will look to cement a spot back in the top grade after a solid season in 2005.Raiders Coach Matt Elliot said although the loss of Miller is a big blow to the side, the opportunity now presents itself to a host of other first grade hopefuls.
We need him on the park (Miller) and hes a loss most definitely, Elliot said. But he got some opportunity last year to play first grade and grabbed it with two hands, so weve got Michael Hodgson, Jason Williams, Trevor Thurling, Andrew Lomu, and Mick Weyman not to far away, so were going to see who jumps up and grabs their opportunity.
Elliot said the first round win against Manly was a positive start to the season, and looks forward to improvement from his side as the weeks go on.
It was a good solid performance and theres a lot that we can build on there, he said. There is a lot that we can improve on, so Im really pleased with the effort and thats a nice foundation for sure.
Elliot said he was proud of the way his three debutants handled the tough Brookvale conditions on Saturday night, and was also pleased with the progress with new recruit Thom Learoyd-Lahrs
I think the new boys were outstanding, we singled them out after the game and the other players acknowledged them, he said. I would like to throw Thommy Learoyd in there as well; I thought his first game for the club was a really solid performance.
Elliot confirmed his commitment to the new players by naming all three in the side for the match against the Knights on Sunday, and said he would continue to stick with the best seventeen players available based on form.
We did say leading into the game that we would pick the guys who were playing the best in the trials, and I think that was reconfirmed by the performance of those guys right across the park, he said.
Raiders captain Clinton Schifcofske echoed his coaches comments, and said the new crop of players rose to the occasion on Saturday, and complimented solid performances across the park for Canberra.
A few people have said to me that the new boys look like they were made to play first grade and they were probably three of our best performers, Schifcofske said. I think Simon Woolford was our best along with Thom Learoyd-Lahrs, and I thought Alan Tongue and Terry Martin were really impressive.
Schifcofske said he looks forward to a bumper crowd for the first home game of the season, and expected the Raiders to continue their good form against a Knights side full of quality players.
Joey will be playing so hopefully well get a good crowd and I think the people of Canberra should really get behind us, he said. We have plenty of young blokes from Canberra so theres plenty to cheer about and the proof will be in the pudding Sunday afternoon.
CANBERRA Vs NEWCASTLE
Canberra Stadium, Sunday March 19
Kickoff 3:00pm
1. CLINTON SCHIFCOFSKE (C)
2. ADRIAN PURTELL
3. PHIL GRAHAM
4. DAVID HOWELL
5. ADAM MOGG
6. JASON SMITH
7. LINCOLN WITHERS
8. WILLIE RASTON
9. SIMON WOOLFORD
10. TROY THOMPSON
11. BEN JONES
12. JASON CROKER
13. ALAN TONGUE
INTERCHANGE
14. TODD CARNEY
15. TERRY MARTIN
16. THOM LEAROYD-LARS
17. MICHAEL HODGSON
from http://www.raiders.com.au/season/news/06031401/
