The Canberra Raiders came into season 2007 as red hot favorites to win the wooden spoon, but after a number of impressive performances against more fancied rivals, the Raiders are showing the rest of the competition that they will be no easy beats this season.
One very welcome change from last season has been the exciting football the club has been playing.
In previous season under Matthew Elliotts coaching, the Raiders were the most boring professional sporting team in Australia. Now, just a month into the post Elliott era, the club is showing what it can do.
Young half Todd Carney has been a revelation, showing the ability to cut up a defense and showing off the best long passing game any youngster has posesses since a kid called Andrew made his debut for Newcastle well over a decade ago.
Hooker Lincoln Withers finally looks to have settled into the hooking roll and is providing a good platform for the club to roll off the back of.
The forward pack is still finding its way but with a number of youngsters in the pack, its just a matter of time and gaining experience. Of their forwards, former Bronco Neville Costigan looks like he is ready to become a really devastating player.
Fullback William Zillman has proven to not only be solid at the back, but an explosive try scorer and its just another sign that things are finally starting to look up for the Raiders.
With exciting football back on the cards in the nations capital, Canberra fans now have a team they can be proud to call their own. Its can only be onward and upward from here on out.
