2023 in review - Brad Schneider

[greeneyed]

2023 in review - Brad Schneider

Now it is season over for the Canberra Raiders, we will be reviewing all 30 players who pulled on a green jersey in first grade in 2023. So far, we have looked at the season of Sebastian Kris, Jordan Rapana, Albert Hopoate, Nick Cotric, James Schiller, Matt Timoko, Jarrod Croker, Harley Smith-Shields, Jack Wighton, Matt Frawley, Jamal Fogarty, Joseph Tapine, Josh Papalii, Emre Guler, Pasami Saulo, Ata Mariota, Zac Woolford, Tom Starling, Danny Levi, Hudson Young, Elliott Whitehead, Corey Harawira-Naera, Corey Horsburgh, Hohepa Puru, Adrian Trevilyan and Peter Hola.

Brad Schneider won the Raiders' Rookie of the Year award on Meninga Medal night last year. With the recruitment of halfback Jamal Fogarty from the Gold Coast Titans, it was expected that Schneider would be starting 2022 in NSW Cup. However he was handed the keys to the Green Machine in Round 1, after Fogarty was sidelined for three months with a knee injury. He went on to play 10 first grade games in the No. 7 jersey, before Fogarty returned to the field. The 21 year old had done well to steer the team around.

ater

Fast forward a year and Schneider is no longer a part of the Green Machine.

Following Jack Wighton's decision to depart the club, there were reports that the Raiders wanted to re-sign both Schneider and Matt Frawley. Both were off contract at the end of 2023. But, in the event, Canberra didn't retain either player.

In early July, the Raiders gave Schneider a release so he could join Hull Kingston Rovers for the rest of the season. The Robins had a hole in their team after half Jordan Abdull was ruled out for a lengthy period with a hamstring injury. And they were in line for a Challenge Cup final appearance. There were initial reports that the Raiders were loaning Schneider to the Robins, but that wasn't the case. The terms of the release, however, provided that if the Raiders had a serious injury crisis in the halves, they could recall Schneider to Australia.

Hull KR coach Willie Peters explained it this way: "My understanding is that if a Raiders half gets a four-week injury plus, they can recall Brad. If it's a minor one, he stays here. It's not a loan deal, but it's a deal where the agreement was that they can take him back."

"It's a really positive signing for the club. Brad's going to give us some much needed depth in the halves, he's a talented young player who works hard, and that's what we want at this club."

Schneider was grateful for the opportunity.

"I'm excited to get over there and rip in. I had a chat to Willie and the one thing that stood out to me the most was how much he wanted me there. As a player, the confidence that gives me, it's a wonderful feeling," he said, at the time.

Maybe I'm reading too much into that, but I get the sense that he'd been told by the Raiders he was not getting a new deal in 2024. That the Raiders were looking elsewhere for a future halfback. Probably in the direction of young Eels half, Ethan Sanders. That said, it is clear that the Raiders think highly of Schneider not only as a footballer, but as person, and were genuine in wanting to give him an opportunity to develop by releasing him to the Robins. After the release, Raiders CEO Don Furner was open to the possibility of Schneider returning to the club, if he performed strongly in Super League.

In any case, I was excited to see Schneider make an an impact with Hull KR. In his first Super League match for the Robins, he not only scored a try, but produced the winning golden point field goal. A week or so later, in the Challenge Cup semi final against Wigan, another Schneider field goal delivered an 11-10 golden point victory, and sent the Robins to the final.







Things didn't go so well for him at Wembley against Leigh. His conversion of a last minute try levelled the scores, forcing the match into golden point. But early in extra time, he failed to find touch from a penalty kick, giving the Leopards a field goal chance. Gareth O'Brien's drop goal attempt failed. Next Schneider's field goal shot, from over 40 metres out, failed too. And it was Lachlan Lam's one pointer that won the Challenge Cup for the Leopards in the 83rd minute.

What of his year at the Raiders? He played only one game in firsts, the Round 6 win over the Broncos at Lang Park. He played alongside Jamal Fogarty, with Jack Wighton suspended and Matt Frawley sidelined with a broken hand. I rated him a 6/10 for the match - in which the Raiders produced their best performance of the year.

He also made 12 appearances in NSW Cup, scoring three tries and 23 goals. He also produced 12 try assists, nine line break assists, one offload, three forced drop outs, and an average of 242 kicking metres. He also averaged 84 running metres and 20 tackles per game. His tackle efficiency rate was a very good 92 per cent. Those are good numbers.

Schneider will join Penrith in 2024 on a two year deal. They no doubt see him as a back up to Nathan Cleary, and he'll do well in the role. I can't say I'll enjoy seeing him in Panthers colours. After 12 NRL games and 33 NSW Cup games in green, he'll always be a Raider in my eyes. I'm sad to see him go. But the Raiders have plans to head in another direction, and if they can sign NSW Under 19s half Ethan Sanders, the Green Machine will have a young halfback with huge potential. Hopefully, soon after Round 6 next year, he signs on the dotted line.

What is your view on Brad Schneider's season? Tell us below.

Brad Schneider’s 2023: NR

2023 Statistics: (Stats from Fox Sports Lab)
Games: 1
Minutes: 80
Points: 0
Tries: 0
Try assists: 0
Try contributions: 0
Total try involvements: 0
Total kicks: 4
Kick metres: 101
Forced drop outs: 0
Kicks dead: 0
Kick errors: 0
Total runs: 5
All run metres: 56
Tackle breaks: 1
Offloads: 0
Line breaks: 0
Line break assists: 0
Tackles: 22
1 on 1 tackles: 1
Missed tackles: 1
Ineffective tackles: 4
Tackle efficiency: 81 per cent
Try causes: 0
Line break causes: 1
Errors: 2
Penalties conceded: 0

* NR - Not rated. Players with two appearances or less do not receive a season rating.

[denissnowy]

Fail

[RedRaider]

Only 1 game so impossible to rate him with any accuracy. Panthers are very good at recruitment and they have picked him up. Very strong defensively which suits the best defensive team in the NRL. Goal kicker. Does not get pressured off his game. In the Panthers structure I reckon we will see the best of him. Initial NRL nerves are all gone.

[Matt]

I was sad to see him go, and at the same time, don't think we lost an asset that isn't replacable.

[Billy Walker]

He’s a loss - will go well at the Panthers

[dubby]

I was sad to see him go, and at the same time, don't think we lost an asset that isn't replacable.

Ibid.

[PNGRaider37]

A back up halfback for Fogs wouldve been pretty handy for 2024. He'll go pretty well at Panthers I think.

[Seiffert82]

Could be a decent lock I think.

Sent from my CPH2021 using Tapatalk

[Botman]

He'll get a first class education on how to play in the halves at penrith.
If he's wants to develop into a player capable of starting regularly in the NRL and beyond, he's at the right club to help him do that.

All reports are he's a smart and decent young man and i wish him all the best. For his sake, i hope we are lementing his departure years from now, but based on what i've seen of the players, i agree with the clubs decision to bet on Strange and (hopefully!) Sanders instead.

[BJ]

Agree. He’d be a blocker for the young halves we want coming through.

Schneider is too good to be the club’s 3rd reserve half, but not good enough to be a clear starting half.

So on that basis I think the Raiders have made the hard short term call but hopefully the best long term call.

[Billy Walker]

Agree. He’d be a blocker for the young halves we want coming through.

Schneider is too good to be the club’s 3rd reserve half, but not good enough to be a clear starting half.

So on that basis I think the Raiders have made the hard short term call but hopefully the best long term call.

When you explain it that way I am more comfortable with it, but would like to see a similar approach taken with a lot of other blockers at the club.

[BJ]

Agree. He’d be a blocker for the young halves we want coming through.

Schneider is too good to be the club’s 3rd reserve half, but not good enough to be a clear starting half.

So on that basis I think the Raiders have made the hard short term call but hopefully the best long term call.

When you explain it that way I am more comfortable with it, but would like to see a similar approach taken with a lot of other blockers at the club.

Agree. Hopefully the club are a bit more ruthless on extending middling players contracts.

[Botman]

Agreed. There is an NFL term for this, - Progress Stoppers.. its a label put on players who are just good enough to be given playing time over players who have the potential to be much better than the guy slightly ahead of them... pretty straight forward term, right? Their existence is a progress stopper for potentially better and higher upside players

As this team turns the page and embraces a new era we need to be more ruthless on getting rid of progress stoppers. I think we've got some very good talent coming up and we should not allow 5-6 out of 10 players to block the path of potentail 7-8 out of 10 footballers