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LESSONS have been learnt and the Canberra Raiders are ready to turn their season around against the injury-ravaged Manly Sea Eagles at the Lavington Oval today.
The Raiders suffered their biggest loss of this young season last week at the hands of the Sydney Roosters, leaving them with just one win in four games.
“Obviously last week we didn’t hold the ball, we weren’t completing,” Raiders captain Jarrod Croker said.
“It sounds cliche but we’ve got to get through our sets.
“We’ve got a good forward pack so we’ve got to utilise them and get them going, and we’ve got talented enough backs to finish off if the forwards lay the platform for us.”
The Raiders had let an 18-0 lead over St George Illawarra Dragons slip, losing 20-22.
But the road trip to the Border will be an opportunity for Croker and the Raiders to make amends and get their season back on track.
“I think we’ve learnt a few lessons from that defeat,” Croker said.
“Hopefully if we get into the same position we’ll be able to finish them off.
“We’re excited to be here and we’ve trained very well this week — we’re only one from four so we’re pretty desperate.
“But this is a big country town, a bit like Canberra, so we’re hoping to see a lot of green jerseys out there and I’m excited about being out here as a country boy myself.”
The Raiders will also want to send off Dane Tilse in style before he heads to the UK and the Hull Kingston Rovers after round seven.
“It was a bit of a shock and it will be sad to lose the big fella,” Croker said.
“He’s been at the club since I’ve been there and he’s a real good bloke to have around, really good with all the young fellas.
“He’s everyone’s mate so it will be tough to lose him.
“So it would be nice to finish off well for him, he deserves it — 200 games he’s a club legend, let’s send him out a winner.”
One Raider familiar with the Border is Glen Buttriss who played junior footy in group 9 for the Cootamundra Bulldogs.
“It always used to be a tough game against Albury,” he said.
“I remember Adrian Purtell — we lived together in Canberra — and I used to have some good battles against him.
“I think it’s great we’re out in the bush playing an actual comp game — hopefully we’ll put on a good show.”
