Green Machine 2.0: Ricky Stuart’s Raiders are the real deal in 2025

Ricky Stuart’s second placed Raiders are a perfectly balanced mix of tough and experienced while also young and fearless, writes MATTY JOHNS.

It was only last month that I wrote about the Canberra Raiders, comparing their current crop of outstanding youngsters with the players that came through in the late 80s and spawned the Green Machine era.

I second-guessed the comparison numerous times given those young men Tim Sheens brought through contained names like Lazarus, Clyde and Daley.

But watching the Raiders’ performance since, I have no hesitation in making the comparison.

Sure, this current crop of rookies have a long way to go, individually, to have careers like those Canberra legends, but, collectively, you can see that the way they are transforming the Raiders’ fortunes is so similar.

Ricky Stuart’s second placed Raiders are a perfectly balanced mix of tough and experienced, and young and fearless.

The 2025 Raiders are built along the lines of the great Green Machine teams of the past.

And week by week the young fearless blokes are growing in belief.

There’s no better example of this than Kaeo Weekes.

Weekes showed great talent Coming through the Manly junior system, but he hasn’t had it easy.

His first real crack at NRL was playing for the Sea Eagles against the Panthers in Penrith.

Tough start and not just because it was against the premiers, but the fact he was selected at five-eighth and defending in the front line.

All first half, Nathan Cleary peppered Weekes with his array of tricks and attacking arsenal.

Like most rookies, not experienced at defending in the front line, Weekes had a miserable night, being replaced by halftime.

Then after moving to the nation’s capital last season, Cronulla smashed Canberra 40-0 in his club debut, where you could clearly see him struggling for confidence.

But this year, he’s been magnificent. His last month exceptional. The 23-year-old’s try assist at a critical time in last week’s tight win over the Sydney Roosters will sit in his greatest hits album.

No player symbolises the rise in this team’s belief more than Weekes.

And what about the other Manly junior, Savelio Tamale? What a powerhouse.

This youngster’s sudden arrival and impact is a carbon copy of when an unknown rookie from New Zealand entered the Raiders team in 1992 and started overpowering older, more experienced rivals. That was Sean Hoppe.

If Weekes and Tamale are symbolic of growing confidence, ‘Big Red’ Corey Horsburgh is the barometer of attitude and desire.

Horsburgh had a bludger of a 2024 season. Out of shape, out of favour, out of the team, off with the coach.

This year he’s returned to his mighty self.

At the Ricky Stuart charity lunch in February, it was evident that Horsburgh had done some serious self assessment ahead of 2025.

He looked rock-hard fit and smiled, joked and laughed with his teammates as he spoke about losing his way and how Stuart’s tough love got him back from the brink.

But it wasn’t just Horsburgh who gave clues to the successful season which lay ahead — the entire squad looked fit and extremely harmonious. Club spirit and camaraderie is as crucial as a footballer’s hands and feet.

No player symbolises the rise in the Raiders self belief more than Kaeo Weekes. Picture: Cameron Spencer

In recent seasons, the Raiders’ inconsistencies had much to do with how they would win matches.

You didn’t associate class and brilliance with Stuart’s team. They were tough, gritty and won on emotion. That takes a toll.

This season, they can beat you in a number of ways and, crucially, they are now able to win matches when below their best selves.

The style of football is fantastic to watch and equally as effective.

They play fast and with periods of off-the-cuff football where they don’t losing control, which is extremely difficult to do.

But no team can rest. Sunday is another big test.

The Raiders, coming off two tough victories, face an extremely dangerous South Sydney team, welcoming back Cody Walker and Jack Wighton.

Keep a close eye on the Bunnies, they’re a sleeper in this unpredictable competition which is open to a team coming from nowhere and snatching the title.

And with Wayne Bennett timing his team’s run, yet to sprinkle them with his famous magic dust, $41 to win the comp is absurdly over the odds.

Originally published as Green Machine 2.0: Ricky Stuart’s Raiders are the real deal in 2025