Locks and contenders 2022
Posted: January 5, 2022, 1:36 pm
As is the tradition on The Greenhouse, we'll be running a series to assess the "Locks and contenders" for the Canberra Raiders strongest possible 2021 line up... position by position... and inviting you to have your say.
There are positions where some players are already "locks". But we will run some supplementary polls where there is any room for debate. This series is not aimed at predicting the Round 1 starting team. It is the strongest possible team, the one you'd want firing in the finals! Today...
Fullback
Last year Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was a definite "lock" at fullback. I suspect that the Raiders coaching staff still think so. But I'm not so sure that the fans quite agree.
In 2019, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was a revelation. He almost started the season as "Charzne who?". But he ended it as one of the top fullbacks in the NRL. He was voted the Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Best Back, with a Grand Final appearance and a Kiwis jersey to his name. It wasn't a case of "second year syndrome" in 2020, but his form was a touch off his break out year.
Unfortunately, his 2021 season was spoiled by a serious neck injury - suffered in the Round 5 loss to the Panthers. It was hoped he might avoid surgery, but in the end it proved to be necessary. He was ruled out for the season - but he managed to make an early comeback on the bench in the Round 23 loss to the Sea Eagles.
Nicoll-Klokstad ended up making eight appearances for the Green Machine in 2021, six starting at fullback and two from the bench. He was sorely missed by the team - and I believe his absence was a major reason for the Raiders missing the finals.
Comparing CNK's 2021 statistics with those of previous seasons is very difficult. Not only did he make only eight appearances, he only played around 25 minutes in two matches, and 60 in another. His numbers on a per game basis, however, compare remarkably well with 2020. He still finished first at the club for running metres per game - level with Jordan Rapana - and second for kick return metres. He was also amongst the top four Raiders for tackle breaks per game.
The worth of some players is underestimated, and it is only when they are not there that people realise just how good they are. While CNK was on the sideline, the Raiders ended up trying four other players in the fullback role, with mixed results.
There is no doubt that Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is a great running fullback, and he gets the plaudits for that. Ball playing is not his relative strength, and Raiders fans speculate on alternative options at No. 1, for that reason. CNK's contribution to the defence, however, is often not appreciated. We sure saw how important he is to the team in that department in 2021. His late season return showed he'd lost nothing while he was away. He's definitely my choice for the fullback role in 2022.
Xavier Savage is the reason there's a lot more speculation about who should fill the No. 1 jersey this season. He's the shiny new toy.
The 19 year old Queenslander certainly impressed in 2021. At the start of last season, he was newly arrived in the national capital and just out of high school. We already knew he was fast, with him winning the under 17s 100 metre sprint title in 10.95 seconds at the Queensland junior athletics championships a couple of years back. Anyone who saw him turn out for Queensland for the 2019 Secondary Schools championship in Canberra knew he was a star in the making.
He started the year in the Raiders' SG Ball squad and went on to win a premiership with that Under 19s team. He got an early shot in NSW Cup, playing in the Round 2 clash with the Eels. He scored a hat trick in the narrow loss. And after the SG Ball Grand Final, he became a regular in the Raiders' "reggies". In a hint of what was to come, he was given a shot at fullback in the Round 11 clash with the Magpies and ended up making five appearances in NSW Cup - before the competition was closed down due to the COVID outbreak in Sydney.
Savage made an unexpected NRL debut in the Round 15 clash with the Dragons. He was the 18th man, but he had to leave the field after 11 minutes, because the Raiders had no right to send an 18th man on in the circumstances. That was because Dragon Jack Bird had not been sin-binned or sent off for his tackle on Sebastian Kris - which put Kris out of the game.
Savage was selected for an official debut at fullback for the Round 17 match against the Sea Eagles, after Bailey Simonsson - the third player to feature in the No. 1 jersey to that point - was ruled out with an injury. He performed well in that game, but he really shone in the Round 18 win over the Sharks. He scored his first NRL try, with Seb Kris passing Savage the ball, when Kris probably could have scored himself. But Savage deserved it, given his other contributions. He made 16 runs for running 246 metres, 88 kick return metres, 63 post contact metres, two line breaks and nine tackle breaks. One incredible Savage line break set up the Raiders' try of the year for Jack Wighton.
Sadly, Savage injured the AC joint in his shoulder during that break out game. It required surgery, ruling him out for the season - just as hope had risen that the Raiders had found a solution to their fullback problem.
Ricky Stuart now faces the challenge of how best to use Savage in 2022. Some commentators and many fans are already calling for him to be selected at fullback in Round 1. There's no doubt he has a dangerous running game - and that might well be just what is needed in the era of Vlandysball. But he's still young, and on the comeback from a serious injury. Fullback is a very challenging position - particularly in defence. Savage isn't exactly slight at 184cms and 90kgs, but he's relatively slight. That is a factor in defence. I'm also not entirely sure Savage has the ball playing ability needed just yet. In my view, he's a better winger right now. But that's not to say he won't be able to develop into a fullback, to develop his ball playing. And the only way to develop it is to give him a shot.
The Raiders released three back up options at fullback last year - Caleb Aekins, Bailey Simonsson and rookie Adam Cook. Jordan Rapana can certainly cover the No. 1 jersey in an emergency. He starred in six games in the No. 1 jersey after Savage's injury last year. Jack Wighton can obviously play at the back too. He's played 85 games at fullback. But both players are really better used in other positions.
Albert Hopoate, 20, is the main player on the Raiders' fullback depth chart. He's the son of the Australian, Tongan and New South Wales representative, John - and the brother of NRL players, Will and Jamil. Hopoate suffered two ACL injuries in the space of 12 months, while with the Sea Eagles. He signed with the Raiders on a one year deal for 2021 and is yet to play first grade with Canberra. But he was given a two year extension in the middle of last year and promoted to the top 30. He played nine games in NSW Cup in 2021 before the season was cancelled due to COVID. He didn't set the world on fire - but he was still on the comeback trail and half the season was lost. He scored two tries and produced one try assist, three line breaks and 21 tackle breaks. He also averaged 106 running metres per game. He'll be wanting to make a bigger impression in NSW Cup in 2022.
Players to watch
There are some players to watch in the lower grades. Kiwi Jack Sandford was the fullback in the 2021 SG Ball Premiership winning team - but his attacking strike is something he'll no doubt be working on. Manase Kaho and Livai Kalotolu have plenty of that. Both were included in the Jersey Flegg squad that was announced by the Raiders in November.
Kaho played fullback with the Raiders Under 20s team that won the 2020 CRRL Cup. But he can play wing and centre too. He was named one of the best centres in the Canberra Raiders Cup in 2021, playing with Belconnen United Sharks. Kalotolou was playing on the wing at the start of the Raiders' 2021 SG Ball season, before an off field incident led to his sacking. He has shown the determination to come back, impressing with the Belconnen United Sharks. He was named one of the wingers of the year in the Canberra Raiders Cup, but also looked good when playing at fullback for the Sharks. I'm looking forward to seeing new fullback recruit from the Mackay Cutters, Rayden Burns, on the field in Jersey Flegg. He's not big, but he looks nippy. No doubt Mick Crawley - who was the Cutters coach, and who has rejoined to Raiders' coaching ranks - has recommended him.
So, what's your view? Is it CNK or Savage... or someone else? Tell us below... and vote in the accompanying poll!
There are positions where some players are already "locks". But we will run some supplementary polls where there is any room for debate. This series is not aimed at predicting the Round 1 starting team. It is the strongest possible team, the one you'd want firing in the finals! Today...
Fullback
Last year Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was a definite "lock" at fullback. I suspect that the Raiders coaching staff still think so. But I'm not so sure that the fans quite agree.
In 2019, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was a revelation. He almost started the season as "Charzne who?". But he ended it as one of the top fullbacks in the NRL. He was voted the Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Best Back, with a Grand Final appearance and a Kiwis jersey to his name. It wasn't a case of "second year syndrome" in 2020, but his form was a touch off his break out year.
Unfortunately, his 2021 season was spoiled by a serious neck injury - suffered in the Round 5 loss to the Panthers. It was hoped he might avoid surgery, but in the end it proved to be necessary. He was ruled out for the season - but he managed to make an early comeback on the bench in the Round 23 loss to the Sea Eagles.
Nicoll-Klokstad ended up making eight appearances for the Green Machine in 2021, six starting at fullback and two from the bench. He was sorely missed by the team - and I believe his absence was a major reason for the Raiders missing the finals.
Comparing CNK's 2021 statistics with those of previous seasons is very difficult. Not only did he make only eight appearances, he only played around 25 minutes in two matches, and 60 in another. His numbers on a per game basis, however, compare remarkably well with 2020. He still finished first at the club for running metres per game - level with Jordan Rapana - and second for kick return metres. He was also amongst the top four Raiders for tackle breaks per game.
The worth of some players is underestimated, and it is only when they are not there that people realise just how good they are. While CNK was on the sideline, the Raiders ended up trying four other players in the fullback role, with mixed results.
There is no doubt that Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is a great running fullback, and he gets the plaudits for that. Ball playing is not his relative strength, and Raiders fans speculate on alternative options at No. 1, for that reason. CNK's contribution to the defence, however, is often not appreciated. We sure saw how important he is to the team in that department in 2021. His late season return showed he'd lost nothing while he was away. He's definitely my choice for the fullback role in 2022.
Xavier Savage is the reason there's a lot more speculation about who should fill the No. 1 jersey this season. He's the shiny new toy.
The 19 year old Queenslander certainly impressed in 2021. At the start of last season, he was newly arrived in the national capital and just out of high school. We already knew he was fast, with him winning the under 17s 100 metre sprint title in 10.95 seconds at the Queensland junior athletics championships a couple of years back. Anyone who saw him turn out for Queensland for the 2019 Secondary Schools championship in Canberra knew he was a star in the making.
He started the year in the Raiders' SG Ball squad and went on to win a premiership with that Under 19s team. He got an early shot in NSW Cup, playing in the Round 2 clash with the Eels. He scored a hat trick in the narrow loss. And after the SG Ball Grand Final, he became a regular in the Raiders' "reggies". In a hint of what was to come, he was given a shot at fullback in the Round 11 clash with the Magpies and ended up making five appearances in NSW Cup - before the competition was closed down due to the COVID outbreak in Sydney.
Savage made an unexpected NRL debut in the Round 15 clash with the Dragons. He was the 18th man, but he had to leave the field after 11 minutes, because the Raiders had no right to send an 18th man on in the circumstances. That was because Dragon Jack Bird had not been sin-binned or sent off for his tackle on Sebastian Kris - which put Kris out of the game.
Savage was selected for an official debut at fullback for the Round 17 match against the Sea Eagles, after Bailey Simonsson - the third player to feature in the No. 1 jersey to that point - was ruled out with an injury. He performed well in that game, but he really shone in the Round 18 win over the Sharks. He scored his first NRL try, with Seb Kris passing Savage the ball, when Kris probably could have scored himself. But Savage deserved it, given his other contributions. He made 16 runs for running 246 metres, 88 kick return metres, 63 post contact metres, two line breaks and nine tackle breaks. One incredible Savage line break set up the Raiders' try of the year for Jack Wighton.
Sadly, Savage injured the AC joint in his shoulder during that break out game. It required surgery, ruling him out for the season - just as hope had risen that the Raiders had found a solution to their fullback problem.
Ricky Stuart now faces the challenge of how best to use Savage in 2022. Some commentators and many fans are already calling for him to be selected at fullback in Round 1. There's no doubt he has a dangerous running game - and that might well be just what is needed in the era of Vlandysball. But he's still young, and on the comeback from a serious injury. Fullback is a very challenging position - particularly in defence. Savage isn't exactly slight at 184cms and 90kgs, but he's relatively slight. That is a factor in defence. I'm also not entirely sure Savage has the ball playing ability needed just yet. In my view, he's a better winger right now. But that's not to say he won't be able to develop into a fullback, to develop his ball playing. And the only way to develop it is to give him a shot.
The Raiders released three back up options at fullback last year - Caleb Aekins, Bailey Simonsson and rookie Adam Cook. Jordan Rapana can certainly cover the No. 1 jersey in an emergency. He starred in six games in the No. 1 jersey after Savage's injury last year. Jack Wighton can obviously play at the back too. He's played 85 games at fullback. But both players are really better used in other positions.
Albert Hopoate, 20, is the main player on the Raiders' fullback depth chart. He's the son of the Australian, Tongan and New South Wales representative, John - and the brother of NRL players, Will and Jamil. Hopoate suffered two ACL injuries in the space of 12 months, while with the Sea Eagles. He signed with the Raiders on a one year deal for 2021 and is yet to play first grade with Canberra. But he was given a two year extension in the middle of last year and promoted to the top 30. He played nine games in NSW Cup in 2021 before the season was cancelled due to COVID. He didn't set the world on fire - but he was still on the comeback trail and half the season was lost. He scored two tries and produced one try assist, three line breaks and 21 tackle breaks. He also averaged 106 running metres per game. He'll be wanting to make a bigger impression in NSW Cup in 2022.
Players to watch
There are some players to watch in the lower grades. Kiwi Jack Sandford was the fullback in the 2021 SG Ball Premiership winning team - but his attacking strike is something he'll no doubt be working on. Manase Kaho and Livai Kalotolu have plenty of that. Both were included in the Jersey Flegg squad that was announced by the Raiders in November.
Kaho played fullback with the Raiders Under 20s team that won the 2020 CRRL Cup. But he can play wing and centre too. He was named one of the best centres in the Canberra Raiders Cup in 2021, playing with Belconnen United Sharks. Kalotolou was playing on the wing at the start of the Raiders' 2021 SG Ball season, before an off field incident led to his sacking. He has shown the determination to come back, impressing with the Belconnen United Sharks. He was named one of the wingers of the year in the Canberra Raiders Cup, but also looked good when playing at fullback for the Sharks. I'm looking forward to seeing new fullback recruit from the Mackay Cutters, Rayden Burns, on the field in Jersey Flegg. He's not big, but he looks nippy. No doubt Mick Crawley - who was the Cutters coach, and who has rejoined to Raiders' coaching ranks - has recommended him.
So, what's your view? Is it CNK or Savage... or someone else? Tell us below... and vote in the accompanying poll!