Raiders 2024 preview: Colossal loses leave club racing to fill gapping leadership void

Canberra could very easily be coming into a tough period in the club’s history, with the balance sheet around recruitments most definitely sliding the wrong way after several key exits.

The Raiders definitely had an exciting end to their last campaign, with the elimination match against a surging Knights in Newcastle one of the best matches of the entire 2023 NRL season, but that to-the-wire battle patched over what had been a spluttering run for Ricky Stuart’s men.

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It’s a far cry from the 2019 season where the Raiders made it all the way to the big dance and things haven’t been spinning in the right way for some time now; an issue that’s only going to be compounded by Croker and Wighton leaving.

Last year’s finish: Seventh (elim finals), 13 wins, one draw, 10 losses

Last ten NRL campaigns: 7th (elim), 8th (semi), 10th, 5th (prelim), 4th (runners-up), 10th, 10th, 2nd (prelim), 10th, 15th

Predicted Round 1 lineup

1. Xavier Savage
2. Jordan Rapana
3. Matt Timoko
4. Ethan Strange
5. Nick Cotric
6. Kaeo Weekes
7. Jamal Fogarty
8. Josh Papalii
9. Zac Woolford
10. Joseph Tapine
11. Hudson Young
12. Elliott Whitehead
13. Morgan Smithies
14. Tom Starling
15. Emre Guler
16. Zac Hosking
17. Pasami Saulo 

Coach: Ricky Stuart

Biggest losses: Jarrod Croker, Jack Wighton Biggest gains: Zac Hoskings

How 2024 is looking for Canberra

Not many teams in the NRL will be facing bigger roster losses heading into this campaign than the Raiders. Not only has their talismanic skipper Jarrod Croker finally hung up the boots⁠—and through that, will no longer be in the dressing room⁠—but arguably their best player, Wighton, has also walked out the door.

All this leaves uncertainty, in who will play in the halves, who will lead the team around the park in match situations, and who will be a leading voice in training, team meetings, and gameday plans.

Ricky Stuart certainly has the nous to find a way out of the daunting situation, but with so many question marks floating around the club and its best seventeen, a slide is nearly inevitable. There are loads of stars waiting to step up in the nation’s capital, of course, but when the Raiders barely limped into the finals last year with Croker and Wighton still at the club, things likely won’t get better fast this time around.

Predicted 2024 finish: 13th

First five: Knights (A), Tigers (H), Warriors (A), Sharks (A), Eels (H)

TopSport odds: Premiers $101, Make Top 4: $15, Make Final 8: $6, Miss The Top 8: $1.12

Pass mark: Find new leadership as quickly as possible.

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