Through green eyes 2024

[Finchy]

I really haven't seen many posters blaming the young players, to be perfectly honest, BJ.

Ummm that’s why I said ‘some’.

I thought Chevy got a few sneaky comments on his performances sometimes dressed up as not directly negative.

Critiquing his personal performances and blaming him for the team’s overall performance or losses are not the same thing.

[BJ]

I really haven't seen many posters blaming the young players, to be perfectly honest, BJ.

Ummm that’s why I said ‘some’.

I thought Chevy got a few sneaky comments on his performances sometimes dressed up as not directly negative.

Critiquing his personal performances and blaming him for the team’s overall performance or losses are not the same thing.

Again that’s not what I said.

Geez some people are over reading into generic comments about giving young players time to develop at NRL level.

[Finchy]

I really haven't seen many posters blaming the young players, to be perfectly honest, BJ.

Ummm that’s why I said ‘some’.

I thought Chevy got a few sneaky comments on his performances sometimes dressed up as not directly negative.

Critiquing his personal performances and blaming him for the team’s overall performance or losses are not the same thing.

Again that’s not what I said.

Geez some people are over reading into generic comments about giving young players time to develop at NRL level.

I'm confused about what your argument is then:

BJ: "We start the season with various posters wanting these young guys playing from round one and a call to take it easy on our inexperienced youngsters. Suddenly two bad losses and some are blaming the young players"
NM: "I really haven't seen many posters blaming the young players"
BJ: "I thought Chevy got a few sneaky comments on his performances sometimes dressed up as not directly negative."
F: "Critiquing his personal performances and blaming him for the team’s overall performance or losses are not the same thing."
BJ: "That's not what I said."

How else can it be taken? You're calling out people for allegedly blaming young players for the losses, then when pressed on that claim, assert that it's because there have been negative comments about Stewart's performance, then when told that critiquing his performance and blaming him for the losses aren't the same thing, you claim that's not what you said in the first place?

If you're trying to say something different, that's fine, but that's how it reads.

[greeneyed]

[The Nickman]

He's right you know.

[Finchy]

He's right you know.

About the game being stupid?

[Coastalraider]

He's right you know.

About the game being stupid?

About everything dammit!

[The Nickman]

Hahahaha this is so good.

[-PJ-]

Hand over $40k Gus.

Shove it right in their faces.

[greeneyed]

Through green eyes: As I saw it



"That's the Raiders' DNA. How we performed last week wasn't us. We had a choice to make this week to show what our real DNA is and that was one hell of a win. It's very easy to be positive now. But ask people to talk about what we said in the change rooms at half time. There's no way we were out of that game. When I walked out of that shed at half time, I knew we were still a chance to be in that game at the back end."

Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart

2024 Round 9. Canberra Raiders 26 defeated Manly Sea Eagles 24. It was a comeback for the ages. A night that will long be remembered in the history of the Green Machine. The Raiders were beaten 40-0 last week. This week they went to Brookvale Oval for a meeting with the Sea Eagles on a five day turnaround. Without doubt a bogey ground, without doubt a bogey side. After 30 minutes, the home team led 20-0. Remarkably, the Raiders came back from that, taking the lead for the first time in the 77th minute - thanks to a Hudson Young try. It proved to be the match winner.

This was not a record comeback. The Raiders have previously come back from 22 points down, three times - against the Tigers in 2015, the Knights in 2016 and the Titans in 2022. But tonight's comeback ranks fourth on the list of biggest comebacks.

Veteran forward Elliott Whitehead produced one of his his most memorable matches in green. He's going on 35 years of age. He has played only one game all season due to a troublesome calf injury. And he was struggling for breath for a lot of the game. Somehow, he played 80 minutes. He was standing on the wing when he produced the error that led to the Sea Eagles' second try, to Tommy Talau. He probably wasn't expecting the ball out there.

But late in the first half, Whitehead set up the Raiders' first try, with an extraordinary intercept and an even more extraordinary flick pass, behind his back, to Kaeo Weekes. It kept the Raiders in touch, ensuring they trailed 20-6 at the break. Ten minutes into the second half, Whitehead crashed over the line himself, from close range. Five minutes later, a horrible error from Manly second rower Corey Waddell, right on his own goal line, saw the ball lobbed into the air. Whitehead charged at it, gathered it in and scored under the posts.

The young halves pairing of Kaeo Weekes and Ethan Strange also played their part. Strange was unable to defuse a Daly Cherry-Evans kick to the Raiders' goal line in the first half - and DCE swooped in on the loose ball for four points. But his kick ahead set up the Hudson Young match winner. A Weekes kick on an early tackle set up a stunning try for Nick Cotric with just under 15 minutes remaining.

Some late changes helped. Josh Papalii was switched to the bench, allowing the team to have at least one of Papalii and Joe Tapine on the field right through the game. The unannounced decision to move Sebastian Kris to fullback and Albert Hopoate to left centre also paid off. Kris is safer and more dynamic with the ball in hand.



We shouldn't look at the performance with rose coloured glasses. The first half was not pretty. Not pretty at all. The match was played in a downpour, so that contributed to the errors. But when the Raiders were not making errors, they were conceding penalties - which repeatedly allowed the Sea Eagles to get out of their own end. Then there were the set re-starts. So many that referee Grant Atkins sent Albert Hopoate to the sin bin in the 24th minute, for the team's repeated infringements. Giving up four unanswered tries and 20 points in 30 minutes... well, that's not good. It looked a bit like Keystone Kops at times. Fortunately, the Raiders were able to get back into the groove and fight their way back in inspirational fashion.



Stats that mattered: The Sea Eagles had 57 per cent of the ball in the first half - but that swung around in the second half. The teams ended with an even share of possession, while the Raiders had 56 per cent of the territory overall.

Canberra had the better completion rate (85 per cent, 79 per cent for the Sea Eagles) and made two fewer errors. But the Raiders conceded eight penalties, the Sea Eagles only three. Manly conceded more set restarts overall (7-5) - yet it was Canberra who ended up with a player in the bin for repeat infringements. Try and figure that out. Referee Grant Atkins is a bit too liberal in handing restarts out, for mine.

There was not much difference between the teams in terms of runs and running metres - though the Raiders made more post contact metres (472-397). The Sea Eagles made three line breaks (Raiders one), but the Raiders produced more tackle breaks (35-22).

Both teams conceded five tries. The Sea Eagles' defence was a bit more lax, however. The Raiders had to make more tackles, but the Sea Eagles missed more (35-22). They also made few more ineffective tackles. Canberra finished with a 90 per cent tackle efficiency rate, compared with 85 per cent for the Sea Eagles.

All round the numbers indicate it was a game of two halves - and a close contest overall.



Memorable moments: Two tries will feature on the list of the Green Machine's best for 2024. I've raved about the flick pass from Whitehead to Weekes already. The Nick Cotric try, however, was also terrific. Weekes kicked ahead on an early tackle from over 40 metres out, when he saw no one from Manly was at home. Cotric chased, regathered and tip-toed his way down the sideline to score - just managing to stay in the field of play. It was brilliant play.

Best performers: Elliott Whitehead. Two tries, 10 runs for 69 metres, one line break, one try assist, one intercept, four tackle breaks, two offloads, 29 tackles, 88 per cent tackle efficiency.

Kaeo Weekes. One try, 10 runs for 106 metres, 25 post contact metres, one try assist, three tackles breaks, 18 tackles, 86 per cent tackle efficiency, 15 kicks for 426 metres, one forced drop out.

Morgan Smithies. Seven runs for 63 metres, 43 tackles, 96 per cent tackle efficiency.

Top tacklers: Morgan Smithies (43), Hudson Young (35), Danny Levi (32), Elliott Whitehead (29), Joseph Tapine (23)
Most metres gained: Sebastian Kris (199), Joseph Tapine (155), Hudson Young (114), Matthew Timoko (109)

My player ratings:

Sebastian Kris 7
Xavier Savage 4
Matt Timoko 7
Albert Hopoate 4
Nick Cotric 7
Ethan Strange 6
Kaeo Weekes 7
Joseph Tapine 7
Danny Levi 5
Emre Guler 4
Hudson Young 7
Elliott Whitehead 8
Morgan Smithies 7

Josh Papalii 5
Tom Starling 4
Ata Mariota 6
Trey Mooney 6



Plus follow us on X: @TheGHRaiders and Instagram: @TheGHRaiders

[Billy Walker]

Levi makes 32 tackles in the middle, works hard all night to lays the foundations to that victory and you begrudgingly give him a 5. It’s sad to see but understandable given you are firmly on the bandwagon of running him down.

[Hong Kong Raider]

Levi was lucky to get a 5. That was generous.

[RedRaider]

Probably DL's best defensive game for us with only 2 missed and 1 ineffective tackle. One tackle I recall on Turbo was very good close to our line. But... can he back it up. In Manly's first try DL is the defender ambling across the field when Turbo cuts back inside. If he had shown a little more urgency (ie break into a jog) in closing the gap Turbo would have run into him. About half way through the first half DL goes for a run on the last tackle away from his half back. You can hear on the ground mic the players calling to him 'last' and he stops and throws the ball backwards and Timoko has to pick it up and put in a hurried kick. Everything is disorganised from that DL moment and Guler is then penalised and then Manly score via DCE. If he simply passes to Weekes from dummy half like he should have, then we are more organised for the kick chase. Then there was the lifting tackle beyond the horizonal performed by DL which was penalised and set them up for the Garrick try. DL came off after 53 minutes with the score at 24-12. Raiders then win 26-24.

I thought Mooney showed a lot more in this game. He made good ground and did the tough stuff well. Cotric had his best game in years. EW an easy 8 this week. Must have been pushing for a 9. Extra point for his Captaincy. When he got the players together after we had scored a try there was a calm 'we're not done' determination in his body language and face. So it proved to be.

In Ricky's presser he said Rapa was raring to go for the Manly game which gives confidence he will be ok to play in 2 weeks against the Dogs.

[jimmy82]

Starling deserved a 5. Mooney best game so far and is progressing nicely.

[BJ]

Corey Parker wouldn’t have given Tapine a 7, in his article about players pay today he specifically names Tapine amongst his three over paid forwards list.

Geez Parker really has developed a new level of Canberra hatred. I think the criticism he copped has made him look even stronger at his anti Raiders stuff.

He publicly enjoyed the last two floggings by Broncos and Sharks, but he goes quiet when we win.

[The Nickman]

I thought Starling played his best game in a long time, we didn’t actually seem to go backwards during his stint on the field, which is all you can ask for, really.

[Rick]

Yeah at the time I was asking myself if Starling looked good or if Levi was just that bad that what Starling offered up made him look good. I suspect it might have been a bit of both.

One thing I will say is Starling seemed to set the line speed when he came on which he has failed to do in the past few games.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[-PJ-]

Corey Parker wouldn’t have given Tapine a 7, in his article about players pay today he specifically names Tapine amongst his three over paid forwards list.

Geez Parker really has developed a new level of Canberra hatred. I think the criticism he copped has made him look even stronger at his anti Raiders stuff.

He publicly enjoyed the last two floggings by Broncos and Sharks, but he goes quiet when we win.

Let’s not concern ourselves with what Corey Parker thinks.

He’s an oxygen thief..

[reptar]

Corey Parker wouldn’t have given Tapine a 7, in his article about players pay today he specifically names Tapine amongst his three over paid forwards list.

Geez Parker really has developed a new level of Canberra hatred. I think the criticism he copped has made him look even stronger at his anti Raiders stuff.

He publicly enjoyed the last two floggings by Broncos and Sharks, but he goes quiet when we win.

Let’s not concern ourselves with what Corey Parker thinks.

He’s an oxygen thief..

Work colleague’s daughter worked at the Broncos for a while. Oxygen thief would be on the more complimentary end of things he had to say about him.

[-PJ-]

Absolute EDIT

[BJ]

Corey Parker wouldn’t have given Tapine a 7, in his article about players pay today he specifically names Tapine amongst his three over paid forwards list.

Geez Parker really has developed a new level of Canberra hatred. I think the criticism he copped has made him look even stronger at his anti Raiders stuff.

He publicly enjoyed the last two floggings by Broncos and Sharks, but he goes quiet when we win.

Let’s not concern ourselves with what Corey Parker thinks.

He’s an oxygen thief..

I know where you are coming from PJ, but I’m in the call someone out not ignore them camp.

My don’t walk past what you wouldn’t accept approach has given me the strength to face challenging times and challenging people in the past.

But Parker is not just an oxygen thief, he even somehow manages to steal carbon dioxide and nitrogen too. He converts it into methane which he blows up his own ar*e.

[-PJ-]

Corey Parker wouldn’t have given Tapine a 7, in his article about players pay today he specifically names Tapine amongst his three over paid forwards list.

Geez Parker really has developed a new level of Canberra hatred. I think the criticism he copped has made him look even stronger at his anti Raiders stuff.

He publicly enjoyed the last two floggings by Broncos and Sharks, but he goes quiet when we win.

Let’s not concern ourselves with what Corey Parker thinks.

He’s an oxygen thief..

I know where you are coming from PJ, but I’m in the call someone out not ignore them camp.

My don’t walk past what you wouldn’t accept approach has given me the strength to face challenging times and challenging people in the past.

But Parker is not just an oxygen thief, he even somehow manages to steal carbon dioxide and nitrogen too. He converts it into methane which he blows up his own ar*e.

I refuse to listen to him speak, if he’s on with Vonn he’s muted.

When the Donkeys lost the unlosable GF last year my first thought was EAT IT COREY PARKER.

[BadnMean]

Probably DL's best defensive game for us with only 2 missed and 1 ineffective tackle. One tackle I recall on Turbo was very good close to our line. But... can he back it up. In Manly's first try DL is the defender ambling across the field when Turbo cuts back inside. If he had shown a little more urgency (ie break into a jog) in closing the gap Turbo would have run into him. About half way through the first half DL goes for a run on the last tackle away from his half back. You can hear on the ground mic the players calling to him 'last' and he stops and throws the ball backwards and Timoko has to pick it up and put in a hurried kick. Everything is disorganised from that DL moment and Guler is then penalised and then Manly score via DCE. If he simply passes to Weekes from dummy half like he should have, then we are more organised for the kick chase. Then there was the lifting tackle beyond the horizonal performed by DL which was penalised and set them up for the Garrick try. DL came off after 53 minutes with the score at 24-12. Raiders then win 26-24.

I thought Mooney showed a lot more in this game. He made good ground and did the tough stuff well. Cotric had his best game in years. EW an easy 8 this week. Must have been pushing for a 9. Extra point for his Captaincy. When he got the players together after we had scored a try there was a calm 'we're not done' determination in his body language and face. So it proved to be.

In Ricky's presser he said Rapa was raring to go for the Manly game which gives confidence he will be ok to play in 2 weeks against the Dogs.

Agree with most of those observations.

Who do you reckon Ricky goes with out of Cotric/Hoppa for magic round? (assuming Rapa FB and Kris centre)

[reptar]

Absolute EDIT

I dunno what’s behind that EDIT but it’s probably true. I won’t say more in public.

[RedRaider]

BnM, if Sticky goes on form against Manly it will be Cotric on the right wing and Rapa resuming his place at FB in the magic round. Kris back into left center. Hoppa in the 'left right out' position. But we all know Sticky has his favorites and form can mean little. If Saulo has overcome his back complaint I would have him back into the side in place of Guler.

[greeneyed]

Through green eyes: 1994



1994. Thirty years ago. It was the year that the Canberra Raiders won their last premiership - comprehensively defeating the Canterbury Bulldogs in the Grand Final. This week at Magic Round, the Raiders will again face the Bulldogs, a match to mark the 30th anniversary of that premiership decider.

Sadly, it's been a long wait since 1994 for another title for the Green Machine.

But that 1994 team certainly deserves to be celebrated. They were a special side, one that is widely regarded as one of the best club teams ever put together. Five members of that team are now in the NRL Hall of Fame. One is an Immortal. Seven members of that team went on the 1994 Kangaroos tour of Great Britain and France.

This week, I'll look back on the game in two ways - the story of the game and personal anecdote about how I experienced the match. I've shared these stories before... so apologies to those who have read them before!

****

The Canberra Raiders kicked off and Martin Bella knocked on. The Raiders looked like they would win the 1994 decider from the outset.

The heroes: Paul Osborne and Mal Meninga.

Paul Osborne played 51 games with the Canberra Raiders, but he made no bigger impact than in the 51st.

Osborne joined the Raiders in 1992 from the Dragons, but had not made a big impression. In 1994, he broke his foot and, due to a combination of injury and poor form he played limited first grade matches. He was scheduled to depart the Raiders at the end of the year, to play rugby league in England.

However, prop John Lomax, the Raiders' player of the year in 1994, was sent off in the Raiders' preliminary final win over North Sydney and was suspended from the Grand Final against the Bulldogs. And instead of getting on a plane, Osborne was recalled for one last match for Canberra. He'd not played first grade since Round 15, but he went on to play the match of his life, on the most important day of the year.





Osborne wore 46 on his back and started the match on fire, setting up two tries with amazing offloads - and setting the Raiders on their way to a third premiership.

"I hadn't played in a long time, I'd been out of first grade for months," he said later.

"I'd broken my foot earlier in the season and by the time I was back they were winning and I couldn't get into first grade. Then Johnny got sent off in the finals and I was the only one cheering.

"It wasn't until training on Saturday morning when super coach Sheens told me I was playing. I went home, I had to find my gear, I didn't know where my shorts were, I didn't know if they still fit me.

"The reason I wore number 46 was because it was the only one that would fit me. I tried them all on - 37, 38 ... (trainer) Bryan Hider's going, "Geez, we haven't got many more left, what are you going to play in?"

As he missed his flight to England, his arrangement to play in the northern hemisphere was terminated - and he did not play another first class rugby league game. It was a grand farewell.

Mal Meninga, already a legend, and playing his last game on Australian soil – capped the magnificent Raiders victory with a 30 metre intercept try, 17 minutes from the end of the match. His celebratory gesture after that try was later captured in bronze, in the statue adorning the entry to the Mal Meninga Grandstand at Canberra Stadium.

Meninga reflected later: "Out of all the Grand Finals I played in, 1994 was the most comprehensive. Each member of the team played to their potential that day, and that's why we won so well. Everyone prepared as if the game was going to go down to the wire."

The Immortal denied it was a fairy tale finish. "Fairy tales are about winning in the dying seconds. When you win comfortably without any pressure, that's not what fairy tales are supposed to be. But in the end we won the premiership, so I can't complain, can I?."

"I think I said after the game, when someone asked me, 'Well it was anti-climatic because I was willing to get the ball with 30 seconds to go, run the length of the field and score the winning try'. That's what I was willing to do, so that when the final hooter went the Raiders were in front by a point. That's the way everyone on our team approached it and because of that mentality, we won pretty well."



Meninga and Osborne were two heroes for Canberra that day, but it was a team for the ages right across the park. The Bulldogs had been minor premiers and had qualified first for the Grand Final, beating the Raiders by one point, 19-18, in an extra time epic. David Furner was Clive Churchill medalist for player of the match. But the likes of Daley, Stuart, Croker, Walters, Clyde and Mullins were all magnificent in the dominant performance against the Bulldogs.

There were many highlights in season 1994. Canberra averaged 30 points per match during the season, tallying a total of 779 points and 146 tries, back then more than any team in history. Brett Mullins scored 22 of them. He scored 11 tries in the space of three games, the remarkable final four in the Round 18, 52-18 defeat of Newcastle. Jason Croker bagged 22 tries during the season as well. Almost 23,000 saw the Raiders demolish the Sea Eagles 30-6 at home in Round 7. And almost 24,000 jammed Bruce when the Raiders defeated the 1993 premiers, the Broncos, 29-10. Mal Meninga's final home game saw the Raiders defeat the Wests Magpies 40-22, in front of a record 25,253 people - and the western stand named in his honour. The finals campaign was memorable, with two victories over the North Sydney Bears, and an epic one point defeat in extra time against the Bulldogs.

But utimately, it was the day of the 1994 Grand Final that was the best of the season - and one of the best in the history of the Canberra Raiders.

1994 Grand Final – Raiders 36 (Ken Nagas 2, Noa Nadruku, David Furner, Laurie Daley, Jason Croker, Mal Meninga tries, David Furner 4 goals) defeated Bulldogs 12 (Jason Hetherington, Jason Williams tries, Darryl Halligan 2 goals) at the Sydney Football Stadium

Canberra Raiders: 1. Brett Mullins 2. Ken Nagas 3. Mal Meninga 4. Ruben Wiki 5. Noa Nadruku 6. Laurie Daley 7. Ricky Stuart 8. Quentin Pongia 9. Steve Walters 10. Paul Osborne 11. Jason Croker 12. David Furner 13. Brad Clyde

14. Brett Hetherington 15. David Westley

Coach Tim Sheens

Crowd 42,234

****

Back in 1994, I was living in Paris and posted at the Australian Embassy. It was one of the best few years of my life, except for one thing. There is no rugby league played in Paris. And the Canberra Raiders were playing in - you guessed it - Canberra.

When I moved to France, the idea of pay television was in its infancy. The internet was something I had hardly conceived of. The only way I could see my beloved Raiders was through the tireless efforts of family and friends: taping games and sending them in the mail to me. A phone call on Sunday morning would bring the results. A week later, the stories from the Australian newspapers and an eagerly awaited tape might come in the mail.

In 1993, I just happened to be back in Australia for one week of the semi finals, only to see the Raiders sadly bow out, crippled by the loss of Ricky Stuart in the final round of the season. But by 1994, something fantastic happened. I got satellite TV from the UK. Sky TV. Every week, we got the two matches of the round from Australia. The Raiders were having a great season and I could often see them just days after they played.

The week that I knew the Raiders had made the Grand Final, Sky TV announced that they would be showing the Grand Final live. The UK commentators who irritated everyone back then – Eddie and Stevo – hosted the broadcast, along with Gary Jack, who was playing in the UK.

I woke up at 3am that Sunday morning I was so excited. The broadcast started at around 5 am and I had the set warmed (yes, the set warmed back then) and everything ready to watch the game well before it started. I had visitors from Australia staying with me. Friends came to my apartment to watch. One Raiders fan visiting Paris invited himself – terrified he would miss the game otherwise - and I was rapt that he did. We got the champagne and orange juice out to watch the game and even though it was still dark, it was party mode, a Paris version of the traditional Grand Final barbeque. The sight of Sydney from the air in bright sunshine, while Paris was still in darkness made us all homesick.

The match was wonderful from a Raiders fan’s perspective. Everything went the Raiders’ way from the kickoff. The Martin Bella knock on from the first play. The incredible off loads from late replacement Paul Osborne in the first half. And then the fantastic Mal Meninga try to wrap up the game and his career in Australia. The cheering must have left the Parisians in nearby blocks wondering what was going on.

By the time the game was over, the sun was up. We made pancakes, opened more champagne - forget the orange juice - and watched the game all over again from the start. Then everyone went home or out. The Raiders fan from Australia gave me the shirt off his back, literally: the 1994 Grand Final t-shirt he had brought from Australia in which to watch the game. I sat back and watched the game once more. It was a fantastic day in Raiders’ history, but I hadn’t been able to be there. Something felt like it was missing. Until November 23.

1994 was a Kangaroo tour year, and was Mal Meninga’s final tour, as Australian captain. The team was full of Raiders players. On November 23, the whole Australian team was in Paris for a game against the French President’s XIII. A reception was held for them at the Australian Embassy, and it was a formal affair. But afterwards, almost all of them moved on to the staff bar, Matilda’s. It was a surreal experience for a rugby league fan, just sitting around and chatting to the likes of Laurie Daley, Brett Mullins and Ricky Stuart.

I told Daley what we had done on Grand Final day, and he said, “We haven’t even seen the Grand Final on TV yet”. I told him I had the tape and promptly went and put it up on the big screen in the bar. A group of us then sat down with Daley and Mullins and watched the game over some beers and “analysed” it. I hope he doesn’t mind me saying that Brett had a bottle of bourbon handy, actually. It was a late night… and the Kangaroos struggled to beat the President’s XIII the next night in the suburbs of Paris. I’m sure they have no recollection of it, but it is something from 1994 I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

****

Every week I rate the Raiders players on a scale of 0-10... and here are the latest tallies. Tell us what you think of the ratings!

Total points

Joseph Tapine 63
Matt Timoko 63
Morgan Smithies 59
Hudson Young 58
Ethan Strange 56
Josh Papalii 55
Xavier Savage 52
Danny Levi 47
Jamal Fogarty 46
Ata Mariota 42
Sebastian Kris 39
Pasami Saulo 38
Tom Starling 38
Jordan Rapana 33
Zac Hosking 30
James Schiller 29
Albert Hopoate 23
Emre Guler 21
Trey Mooney 21
Nick Cotric 17
Simi Sasagi 16
Chevy Stewart 15
Elliott Whitehead 13
Kaeo Weekes 12
Corey Horsburgh 9

Average points per match

Joseph Tapine 7.0
Matt Timoko 7.0
Jordan Rapana 6.6
Jamal Fogarty 6.6
Morgan Smithies 6.6
Elliott Whitehead 6.5
Hudson Young 6.4
Ethan Strange 6.2
Josh Papalii 6.1
Zac Hosking 6.0
Kaeo Weekes 6.0
James Schiller 5.8
Xavier Savage 5.8
Albert Hopoate 5.8
Nick Cotric 5.7
Sebastian Kris 5.6
Pasami Saulo 5.4
Simi Sasagi 5.3
Emre Guler 5.3
Ata Mariota 5.3
Trey Mooney 5.3
Danny Levi 5.2
Chevy Stewart 5.0
Corey Horsburgh 4.5
Tom Starling 4.2



Plus follow us on X: @TheGHRaiders and Instagram: @TheGHRaiders

[denissnowy]

Great memories GE. I have watched that GF probably a hundred times over the ensuing 30 years. I reckon I could almost recite the entire commentary. Kenny Nagas's first try and Daley's try were my favourites of the match

"Oh, Osborne! Another great pass! Nagas down the left flank, in and away, ah shut the gate!"

"And it's, ah Daley that capitalises. Runs through the gap, over the 30. Support is coming. Daley. He won't need it. Daley puts it down!"

[Hong Kong Raider]

What a great story, GE.

I also remember the lead up to the game. In the Final v Norths, I was concerned we wouldn't get through as we were behind and Lomax got sent off. Greg McCullum fortunately evened it up by sending Gary Larson off. Then the Green Machine clicked into gear.

I ended up watching the GF in Canberra and not at the SFS as I was preparing for my final exams. Everyone played so well and my fondest memory is of our wingers Noa Nadruku and Kenny Nagas in space and the big strides and swerve of Nagas to score. So fast but effortless and graceful. The game was over by HT. I always liked the anticipation of the Kangaroo touring party being announced in the evening of the GF and seeing how many Raiders made the squad to tour.

[Hong Kong Raider]

Also Jason Croker's chase of Jason Williams for the intercept try. Although Croker didn't get him, he was fast and didn't lose a metre on Williams the speedster.

[greeneyed]

Also Jason Croker's chase of Jason Williams for the intercept try. Although Croker didn't get him, he was fast and didn't lose a metre on Williams the speedster.

That was a wonderful effort for a back rower.

[reptar]

I heard an interview on Sunday with Tim Brasher about the 94 Kangaroos tour - he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Was he at Matilda’s?

[Finchy]

I heard an interview on Sunday with Tim Brasher about the 94 Kangaroos tour - he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

It was good to see

[reptar]

I heard an interview on Sunday with Tim Brasher about the 94 Kangaroos tour - he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

It was good to see

He said he’s never watched the overtime from the 89 GF. Living through it once was enough.

[dubby]

Great write up, Fergus.

I'll never forget 1994. One of the best years of my life.

Never thought I'd be waiting 30 years later without another premiership.

[hrundi89]

I heard an interview on Sunday with Tim Brasher about the 94 Kangaroos tour - he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Was he at Matilda’s?

I went to primary and high school with Tim.

Someone once asked me was he your mate and I said, well he never bashed me so he must have been.