Two points taken against Gold Coast Titans; bring on the big black cats
Consecutive wins against spoon contenders has Canberra humming into the big match with Penrith on Saturday at GIO Stadium. Yes, barnacles remain on the Good Ship Rick. But confidence grows. And grows.
So, the Titans, eh? The Gold Coast Titans … hard to know what to make of the Raiders’ seven tries to four, 34-26 victory at CBUS Super Stadium on Saturday afternoon given Gold Coast Titans are, how to put this, shit.
Sorry not sorry, they are, they are shit, there’s something in the sea water up there, quite often those very Gold Coast Titans. Former Raiders and Titans forward David Shillington said as much at the Brisbane launch of The Milk that the Gold Coast is a place people go on holiday, and it’s a mindset which seems to inculcate the subconscious of Gold Coast Titans.
It is a thing.
#inculcate.
And yet Saturday’s round 20 fixture still loomed as a danger match for Canberra Raiders because it’s in the club’s DNA to touch up Melbourne in Melbourne and follow that up with losses to wooden spoon contenders.
That, too, has been a thing.
But perhaps it’s becoming an older trope after Canberra beat New Zealand Warriors and Gold Coast Titans by a combined score of 62 points to 38 points.
Nothing to rave home about, perhaps. But a win is a win, as Brisbane Broncos would tell you after going down to Wests Tigers with nothing to lose except the 6-leg multi of certain interested parties.
Jack Wighton! Coming into ominous form, our man, that left boot is a weapon, thumping those low drop punts into the corners and sending his devil dogs to tear down field and attack with defence. It’s a Ricky Stuart thing: play it smart tactically and then get verily stuck into them.
And mostly they did, these Canberra Raiders, appearing porous and loose on the edges when down to 12 players and the game good as won.
No excuse, of course. No-one’s happy see opponents bolt through their line. But defence was good, in the main, when it mattered.
Seb Kris! Had a top game, the chunky centre man, his combination with Wighton, Nic Cotric and the impressive backrower Hudson Young looks … looks good. It looks good. You get good and tidy things from Seb Kris, he’s coming into himself a little bit, and takes a bit of stopping ten metres out.
You get good things, too, from Xavier Savage though there’s too many rocks among his diamonds at the moment, for mine. He’s suspect under the high ball and still trying to pull off miracle plays like trying to scoop up the ball when toeing it ahead would keep a movement going. He’ll learn of course - it just should be in reserve grade.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was named in the No.19 for the Titans match; be great to have him to back for the Panthers. Jordan Rapana, too. With those guys in the XVII I’m shifting Savage to seconds with Albert Hopoate with our thanks for their time.
Elsewhere Joe Tapine remains a force of nature, the Tom Starling-Zac Woolford job-sharing gig seems effective while Corey Harawira-Naira is dangerous fresh at the death.
And then there is the bullocking man-action of Adam Elliott who was among our best. Lot to like about him, and were I Big Stick I’d tell Starling and Jamal Fogarty and all of the back division to hover after Elliott on the charge because he can free an arm set a speed man free. He’s a beauty and we should’ve signed Millie Boyle, too.
And so! Panthers next week and I like us at home. Granted the big black jungle cats are, even without weird cousin Ivan, the testing material of this National Rugby League. And they don’t lose two in a row often.
But the Raiders are playing footy. And in the chill Canberra dusk, with sufficient completions, more long kicking and chasing, and a surfeit of those shitty penalties when we’re bashing blokes in corners, we can keep the party going and claim the two points.
In other news, I’ll be down to cover the game for News Ltd and will be selling copies of The Milk at trash n treasure venues TBA, Saturday and/or Sunday, think there’s one at the Kingston Foreshore, will let you know in the Big Match Preview on Friday.
Until then, as ever, up the Milk!