Canberra’s NRL pack are living proof that bigger isn’t always better.
Once one of the biggest packs in the competition, the mobile Raiders’ middle that faces South Sydney on Friday night will be 54kg lighter than last year’s model.
After three years out of the finals, tough decisions had to be made in Canberra last season.
Gone were the likes of Junior Paulo and Shannon Boyd – taking 249kg out the door with them after David Taylor had exited the year before
The more versatile John Bateman and Ryan Sutton arrived from England. NRL figures also indicate Elliott Whitehead slimmed down 4kg.
Coach Ricky Stuart has also taken it one step further, using winger Bailey Simmonson as his utility option off the bench.
It means the Raiders’ pack and bench – excluding hooker Josh Hodgson – will weigh a combined 923kg against Souths, well down on the 978kg they tipped the scales at last year.
Canberra’s shift to mobility was both by design, and accident.
The club was bracing for the NRL to reduce the number of interchanges from eight to six but it never eventuated.
They were also only planning to lose one of Boyd and Paulo, not both.
“Talk of the interchange being reduced played a big part in the decision,” said Raiders chief executive Don Furner said.
“Rick sat down with the coaches and we offered both Boydy and Junior deals but they got offered more money.
“We certainly were planning to keep one of them. Then the interchange didn’t go down, but the game has quickened up in other ways.
“It did (work out pretty well in the end). There’s a lot of planning but you also need things to fall in place.”
Whatever the reasoning, it’s worked.
Canberra have become a tough team to contain in the middle, with Bateman being the find of the season on the right edge.
Closing out matches is no longer an issue either.
While Canberra lost six games they were were leading down the stretch in 2018, the final 20 minutes is now their most productive period as they have outscored opponents 151-82.
The Raiders are also benefiting from modified roles, like veteran forward Josh Papalii.
Originally a second-rower, Papalii switched to lock in 2018 and this year moved to the front row, a change that yielded player of the year honours.
“It has kept my role pretty simple. I don’t have to do much to be honest. Just run hard and tackle hard,” Papalii said.
“When (Stuart) brought me back last year he started me in the middle. I haven’t looked back since.
“I’m just in a better headspace these days. I just try and own that middle and still get to ball play a bit.”
