The Greenhouse

2022 Canberra Raiders squad

The Canberra Raiders commence pre-season training for the 2022 season today, with the first group of players back at Raiders HQ in Braddon for testing.

Read more: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2021/11 ... d-tracker/

NRL Top 30
Jarrod Croker
Adam Elliott
Jamal Fogarty
Matt Frawley
Emre Guler
Corey Harawira-Naera
Josh Hodgson
Albert Hopoate
Peter Hola
Corey Horsburgh
Sebastian Kris
Trey Mooney
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Josh Papalii
Jordan Rapana
Harry Rushton
Xavier Savage
Brad Schneider
Bailey Simonsson
Harley Smith-Shields
Tom Starling
Ryan Sutton
Joe Tapine
Matt Timoko
Semi Valemei
Elliott Whitehead
Jack Wighton
Sam Williams
Hudson Young

NRL Development
Elijah Anderson
Ata Mariota
Brandon Morkos
Clay Webb

Ongoing Training
Michael Asomua
JJ Clarkson
Caleb Esera
Brock Gardner
Jordan Martin
James Schiller
Adrian Trevilyan

* Updated list

So our contract list for the top 30 and development list is correct, updated for "ongoing training players": viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5023

Confirms new top 30 deals for Sam Williams, Matt Frawley, Albert Hopoate.

still no Esera

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

Still in the greens

If that’s the case (that he’s heading to the Titans) it’d be pretty disappointing.

that would be awful.

Raiderz77 wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 10:10 am He’s headed to the Titans

Got a link there?

Pretty weak looking squad, and a few albatross contracts in there. Competing was nice while it lasted.

Raiderz77 wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 10:10 am He’s headed to the Titans

How on earth did that happen?

Roger Kenworthy wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 11:08 am Pretty weak looking squad, and a few albatross contracts in there. Competing was nice while it lasted.

Hard to argue with you Rog. You pick the top 17 out of that and they are all in top form and injury free and you’re a top 8 team. Any injuries or form slip and you miss the 8. Under any circumstances it’s hard to see that squad getting near a premiership.

Botman wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 10:35 am that would be awful.

Yes, it would be.

Caleb Esera is still with the club, list has been updated… he is listed in the ‘ongoing training’ list!

Roger Kenworthy wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 11:08 am Pretty weak looking squad, and a few albatross contracts in there. Competing was nice while it lasted.

I'm counting 29 players in that top 30 so far, and if the final spot is filled by one of those guys listed as "ongoing training" then it's quite a weak squad. I was thinking that we'd saved a bit of money with recent recruits but now I'm starting to question our cap management. Hopefully we've got money stashed away and we're able to pick up a recruit in the $700k range but I can't say I'm all that confident.

Luckily the cricket has been good and Aust have done reasonably well, and let's hope the same for the upcoming Ashes.

We are in for a long winter and season with that squad. Despite the departures of GWilliams, Sia, Dunamis, Ryan James, and Curtis Scott, we have signed three players that have played FG (and one not much) - Fogarty, Adam Elliott, and Hola.

At best, and subject to all our players staying fit, we are borderline top 8. I don't think our squad is better than any of the sides that made the top 8 this year, and Canterbury and Broncos will be on the up next year. I hope Ricky and the coaching staff prove me wrong.

3 rigid fringe first grade halfbacks in a 30 man squad. Ugh.

10-12th squad.

Keeping Sam Williams is beyond madness and is just a decision born out of not wanting to hurt his feelings.

Like what is the point? We already have three other younger halfbacks. Surely he can be of service to an ESL team. It's just gonna stunt Schneider's development who no doubt will still be a bench warmer at NSW Cup level.

In terms of the talent in the squad, I too think it is 7th-12th placed team. However all it takes is Savage to have a break out year and Wighton to step up again and all of a sudden we could be quite decent. Both of which are more than possible.

Raiderz77 wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 10:10 am Still in the greens

Heart attacks averted. Please don’t do that to us again!

Sammy and Semi.....NOOOOOOOOOO!

I'd be offering Papali'i $700k or so and a significant upgrade on his current contract for 2022 if he can come here a year early. He's on peanuts at the Eels for 2022 and it would surely cause massive issues if they couldn't at least try to come close to matching the offer. A roster move like that would make me a whole lot more confident about our squad for 2022.

We should not have extended one of Sammy and Frawley (if it was me I would not have extended both) but bought Sean O Sullivan from the Warriors - he's someone that is better than the both of them and has upside. Even Te Maire Martin is better than both and has upside.

I agree. O'Sullivan (not that I recall seeing him play) or Ash Taylor would have worked well as a back up half. Ash Taylor has signed train and trial with the Warriors so surely we could have got him on minimum wage to back up both 6 and 7.

It's inconceivable that there isn't money left over to sign someone significant. Fog has signed on half of what GWilliams was on, Curtis was apparently going to be on $600k next year, James was on $400k, Sia would have been on decent money, Lui and Havilii weren't on peanuts. If we really clear $2M+ worth of players, sign 3 new guys for ~$800k (Fog $350k, Elliot $250k, Hola - who knows but not much) and waste the difference upgrading rookies in a squad that under performed this year then that will be a hell of a frustrating way to end a hell of a frustrating season.

julian87 wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 2:56 pm 3 rigid fringe first grade halfbacks in a 30 man squad. Ugh.

Ugh, forgot Schneider. Make that 4. What horrific squad management.

julian87 wrote: ↑November 9, 2021, 9:14 am

julian87 wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 2:56 pm 3 rigid fringe first grade halfbacks in a 30 man squad. Ugh.

Ugh, forgot Schneider. Make that 4. What horrific squad management.

having Sam Williams in the top 30 at this point in his career is horrific squad management. I was thinking his extension would be for a contract in the lower grades... nothing wrong with that for a guy of his level and ability.

This is great. Weak squad, low expectations means Raiders are finals bound.

Raider47 wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 3:22 pm Keeping Sam Williams is beyond madness and is just a decision born out of not wanting to hurt his feelings.

Like what is the point? We already have three other younger halfbacks. Surely he can be of service to an ESL team. It's just gonna stunt Schneider's development who no doubt will still be a bench warmer at NSW Cup level.

In terms of the talent in the squad, I too think it is 7th-12th placed team. However all it takes is Savage to have a break out year and Wighton to step up again and all of a sudden we could be quite decent. Both of which are more than possible.

Williams has turned down multi-year offers from ESL teams to sign one year deals to be our backup half twice now I think.

He's the definition of mediocrity. He's afraid to go overseas and actually try his luck. And why shouldn't he be? His stints with the Dragons, Wakefield and Catalans were total failures.

He's somehow found an organisation that is willing to sign him over, and over, and over, and over to six-figure deals that lets him live in Canberra near his mates and not be held to any account because of the 'good bloke, local junior' premium that the Raiders apply.

Timbo wrote: ↑November 9, 2021, 10:16 am

Raider47 wrote: ↑November 8, 2021, 3:22 pm Keeping Sam Williams is beyond madness and is just a decision born out of not wanting to hurt his feelings.

Like what is the point? We already have three other younger halfbacks. Surely he can be of service to an ESL team. It's just gonna stunt Schneider's development who no doubt will still be a bench warmer at NSW Cup level.

In terms of the talent in the squad, I too think it is 7th-12th placed team. However all it takes is Savage to have a break out year and Wighton to step up again and all of a sudden we could be quite decent. Both of which are more than possible.

Williams has turned down multi-year offers from ESL teams to sign one year deals to be our backup half twice now I think.

He's the definition of mediocrity. He's afraid to go overseas and actually try his luck. And why shouldn't he be? His stints with the Dragons, Wakefield and Catalans were total failures.

He's somehow found an organisation that is willing to sign him over, and over, and over, and over to six-figure deals that lets him live in Canberra near his mates and not be held to any account because of the 'good bloke, local junior' premium that the Raiders apply.

I am glad you and other posters have pointed it out, Timbo. Sammy doesn't deserve a place in the top 30 of our squad. No other NRL team would sign him in their top 30 except us. He cannot even do the basics like make tackles expected of an average level NRL footballer. His best form was more than 5 years ago playing in 2016 - for Mounties in the NSW Cup.

Semi Valemei

Please tell me it's his last contracted year

Queensland has just blocked all unvaccinated persons from access to stadiums.

Makaveli wrote: ↑November 9, 2021, 11:23 am Semi Valemei

Please tell me it's his last contracted year

He got a 3 year contract extension last season.

julian87 wrote: ↑November 9, 2021, 12:29 pm

Makaveli wrote: ↑November 9, 2021, 11:23 am Semi Valemei

Please tell me it's his last contracted year

He got a 3 year contract extension last season.

You're not serious. For what?

julian87 wrote:

Makaveli wrote: ↑November 9, 2021, 11:23 am Semi Valemei

Please tell me it's his last contracted year

He got a 3 year contract extension last season.

****

Sent from my SM-F711B using Tapatalk

While it is impossible to be strong everywhere with the Cap, one injury in the Top line spine positions 6, 7 and 9 will see our depth sorely tested imo. We know what Rapa and Savage can do in the No.1 so I am less concerned about FB. We don't seem to have a halves utility and if there is one out there I hope we look to secure him in our Top 30.

RedRaider wrote: ↑November 9, 2021, 5:39 pm While it is impossible to be strong everywhere with the Cap, one injury in the Top line spine positions 6, 7 and 9 will see our depth sorely tested imo. We know what Rapa and Savage can do in the No.1 so I am less concerned about FB. We don't seem to have a halves utility and if there is one out there I hope we look to secure him in our Top 30.

That's why Sean O'Sullivan would have been good. Adam Keighran from Easts - scored a hat-trick against us in the last round, kicks goals, but under contract, Metcalf from Cronulla, they won't let go, Peachey but we weren't interested. CHT from Warriors may be on the lookout but he would cost more. We only have ourselves to blame.

There's also another option: the "Tunnelled pass through the mountains, inhabited by dead men, where the way is shut" (Return of the King, Lord of the Rings) - Tyrone May

sprintman wrote: ↑November 9, 2021, 11:34 am Queensland has just blocked all unvaccinated persons from access to stadiums.

With a game in Melbourne that looks like 5 games we'll be missing a bunch of players.