Raiders Season Preview
02/21/2012 10:39:49 PM
Team: Canberra Raiders
Last year: 15th
Gains: Shaun Berrigan (Warriors), Malcolm Congoo (Sunshine Coast).
Losses: Alan Tongue (retirement), Matt Orford (released), Daniel Vidot (St George Illawarra Dragons), Josh Miller (St George Illawarra Dragons), Danny Galea (Penrith Panthers).
What has to go right: Terry Campese has to stay injury free and strike up a solid combination with young half-back Sam Williams. It also wouldn't hurt if Josh Dugan can have a year like Jarryd Hayne delivered for the Eels in 2009.
What could go wrong: History could repeat. Canberra were rudderless without Campese, who played just eight minutes last season after tearing his adductor in his first game back from knee surgery. The Raiders are reliant on a handful of class players so it only takes an injury to one or two of them to derail their entire campaign.
Nightmare headline: Campese out for season – again
Dream reading: Raiders return to NRL finals
Predicted finish: 16th
Orme says: The men from the nation's capital just missed out on the wooden spoon on for-and-against last year, but they might not be so lucky this time around. If Campese can stay on the park the Raiders are capable of jagging a spot in the finals, as they showed in 2010. But we think it's more likely the Green Machine will struggle again this season and finish bottom of the heap.