The Canberra Raiders can hold their head high today knowing they are proving all their critics wrong.
The Raiders headed to Penrith this weekend without halfback Todd Carney and it seemed no one was willing to give them a chance of upsetting Penrith at home.
Canberra had other ideas.
The Raiders dominated the match and could have very easily won by a wider margin as they beat a Panthers side that lack punch, leadership, ideas and most importantly, guts.
Camberra are a young and hungry side and while they may lose some games, and by a big margin, its not going to be through a lack of effort.
Neville Costigan is enhancing his representative prospects with his damaging performances. He is a hard runner in attack and can put on some bone crushing hits in defense. He reminds me a bit of Gorden Tallis which says a lot about his dominating performances.
The Panthers meanwhile have major problems. A soft pack of forwards, a dud at halfback…..only Rhys Wesser and Luke Rooney can put their hand up and say they have played really well in every game they have played this season.
The way Canberra won so easily made me think one thing last night.
Canberra lost so many players and yet are playing better, more exciting football than last year.
Penrith have a better side than they had in 2006 and yet are playing even worse and producing some of the most predictable, boring football you will ever see.
What is the one change both teams had in the off season?
Take a guess…
