Canberra need Siliva Havili to be their version of Storm star Brandon Smith amid forward crisis
The Raiders have been hit with an injury crisis in the forwards at the worst possible time but they can lean on their own version of Melbourne cult hero Brandon Smith for inspiration.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Canberra will need Siliva Havili to become their own version of Melbourne cult hero Brandon Smith as the Raiders prepare for back-to-back blockbusters amid an injury crisis which threatens to derail their premiership charge.
With Sia Soliola sidelined for up to 16 weeks with facial fractures, Emre Guler looking at eight weeks out with an ankle injury and Corey Horsburgh and John Bateman already sidelined, the Raiders will dig deep into their roster for this week’s clash with the Storm and next week’s grand final rematch with the Roosters.
The club is expected to hit the player market in order to relieve the burden, but until then the likes of hooker turned lock Havili, English import Ryan Sutton, veteran Dunamis Lui and debutant Kai O’Donnell will have to pick up the slack.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Every game of every round Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Raiders legend Gary Belcher believes Canberra can not only stay steady in their attempt to go one better than 2019 but believes they can rely heavily on Havili, a veteran of 13 Tests for Tonga, who the two-time premiership winner likened to Melbourne Storm cult hero Brandon “The Wombat” Smith.
Like Smith, who will come off the bench for the Storm this weekend, Havili arrived at Canberra as a dummy half but now plays predominantly as a middle forward.
“They have a good enough team to beat Melbourne, they have a good enough team to beat the Roosters and you’d rather be at full strength, but thems the breaks. Melbourne have a few out and so do the Roosters,” Belcher said.
“I think what Havili adds to the Raiders is really similar to what Brandon Smith does for the Storm.
“Smith just tries to burrow through and get a quick play the ball, and Havili does that as well.
“Plus he’s got some nice passing skills and an offload. I think he’s been outstanding given he came in as a hooker while they were waiting for Josh Hodgson to arrive.
“It really tests their depth, which can be a good thing towards the end of the year, but if Sia doesn’t come back this year - he’s a real leader of that pack and that club, and that probably puts a little more focus on Josh Papalii and Josh Hodgson to lead the way.”
The fifth placed Raiders have recalled veteran prop Lui and handed rookie O’Donnell his NRL debut off the bench, while Jordan Rapana will return from a calf injury for Saturday night’s clash.
“I expect them (the replacements) to go well because that’s what’s expected of NRL first graders. To get back in the side is what they’re looking for,” Belcher said.
“Certainly Dunamis Lui, he’s been around long enough to know his role, and they still have a good enough forward pack.
“Hudson Young is finding his feet, Ryan Sutton has had a couple of weeks back and he’s gone OK and even Jordan Rapana on the bench, he can slot into the middle if he has to so long as they don’t have any outside back injuries.”
The Raiders have won their last three matches against the Storm, including a stellar display in Round 3 that propelled the Green Machine into premiership favouritism.
Raiders target mid-season recruit amid injury crisis
David Riccio
An injury-ravaged Raiders are considering making a mid-season signing to cover for the loss of veteran forward Sia Soliola to a gruesome facial injury that is set to end his year.
Premiership-favourites only a month ago, Canberra have been rocked by an injury-crisis in the forwards with four members of their pack including John Bateman (shoulder), Corey Horsburgh (foot), Emre Guler (ankle) and Soliola (face) all set to be sidelined.
Soliola will undergo surgery on Wednesday to correct a serious facial fracture suffered during Canberra’s 22-16 win over St George-Illawarra on Friday night.
“It’s an upper-jaw fracture, that’s under the nose, like a fractured palette,’’ Raiders coach Ricky Stuart told the ABC on Saturday.
“It’s an ugly injury and Sia is going to have surgery on Wednesday.
“It’s looking like it’s a three-month injury, so that looks like it could be the season for Sia.’’
With an extensive recovery period of three-months and the NRL’s shortened season, of which 11-weeks remaining, Soliola’s best hope of playing again is if the Raiders make back-to-back grand finals.
The frustrating casualty ward couldn’t come at a worse time for Stuart, whose side sits in fifth position on the NRL ladder.
In the next three weeks Canberra face heavyweights the Melbourne Storm and the Sydney Roosters, followed by South Sydney.
The Raiders are likely to be without all four key forwards for those matches which is why management spent Saturday surveying the rest of the league for an immediate purchase to help fill the void.
Due to the redrawn season following its suspension amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the NRL has pushed back the usual June 30 deadline for players to transfer between clubs until August 3.
How much Canberra can afford to spend on a fast-fix will also depend on a compensation claim the Raiders have made to the NRL for Bateman, who is yet to play this year and remains sidelined for at least another seven weeks.
Because Bateman injured his shoulder in a Test match — and of which has since required surgery — the Raiders are eligible to apply for salary cap relief.
Under NRL rules, clubs can spend up to $350,000 to replace a player who has been ruled out for a minimum of 12 matches because of an injury sustained in a representative fixture.
Having made the decision to let depth forwards Jack Murchie (Warriors), JJ Collins (retired) and Luke Bateman (retired) go during the coronavirus break, the Raiders are looking at promoting development player Kai O’Donnell, unless they can lure an NRL-ready forward.
The spiritual leader of the Raiders, Soliola’s omission is a major blow.
The 33-year-old will meet with surgeons on Monday where it’s feared he will require an operation to correct a serious facial fracture suffered during Canberra’s 22-16 win over St George-Illawarra on Friday night.
The operation would leave Soliola’s season in jeopardy when both an extensive recovery period and the NRL’s shortened season, of which 11-weeks remain, are considered.
The Raiders are optimistic that Guler will receive better than first feared news when he goes for MRI scans on Monday.
Key to the Raiders defensive unit, Guler needed to be helped from the field after 36-minutes of Friday night’s match.
The Raiders are hopeful he will miss minimal game time.
And in better news, the Raiders are confident outside back Jordan Rapana will return from a calf injury against the Storm on Saturday night at GIO Stadium.