Absolutely AWFUL game of Rugby League!!!
Both teams were horrible and neither deserved to win.
The game further re-affirmed a few things to me today,
1. The Wests Tigers have the SOFTEST forward pack in the history of the NRL. The Raiders were there to be beaten today and were horrible defensively down the middle of the rucks. Only the Wests Tigers couldn't make the most of that!!!
2. Lincoln Withers isn't a halfbacks arsehole!!! Canberra supporters better hope that Todd Carney can really step up this year or they will be in for one long arse season with such ordinary options for halfbacks.
3. Nathan Smith cannot defend AT ALL!!! He somehow made Matthew Rieck look like an international superstar, Rieck scored two tries against Smiths defence and BOTH times should NEVER have scored. The defence was shameful!!!
4. Jason Smith looked actually really sharp at the start of the game, kept the Raiders together and was behind most plays that looked good.
5. If Canberra gets any sort of injuries to Schifcofske or Mogg they are in for a long season. These guys stood out so much playing with a very weak backline.
6. Hopefully for the Tiges Whatuira just had a bad game because he looked extremely ordinary.
Players that stood out were, Shifcofske, Mogg and Graham to a lesser extent. Pat Richards and Brett Hodgson and that's about it for the Tiges. Prince will definitely get better as the season goes on, but man that Tigers forward pack is even worse when you see them than they look on paper!!!
I have no idea how whomever posted earlier said he received text messages saying Skandalis and Lima were smashing them because that couldn't be further from the truth.
While Canberra won, as soon as the game was finished i went inside Wests Leagues and put a small $20 on the Raiders for the spoon.
Neither team deserved to win but there was some tries that could only be described as wierd, especially Smiths try that finally gave Canberra the lead.
Canberra received a penalty about 30 metres out from their own goaline, they kicked for touch and Rieck jumped for the ball and tried to hit it back into the field of play. Smith and i have to give him credit for his perserverance, had chased the ball from the moment it was kicked, caught Riecks hit back flying on the full and ran 40 metres untouched to get the lead :lol:
Twas only a trial but can't see too many teams bar maybe Souths or Manly that will be worried at all by the two teams on display today.
