Why I *effing* love the 1987-94 Canberra Raiders (*and the NZ Warriors from 1995 thereafter)

Growing up in the late 1980's and early 1990's was a stroke of good luck which I'll thank my parents for. Living in that era was simply witnessing a golden generation at work...

The Canberra Raiders entered the NRL (or NSWRL back then) in 1982 along with the Illawarra Steelers. By some odd sense of good fortune I happened to be birthed in the rugby league heartland of Canberra in that very year, to a Kiwi mum and an Aussie dad, having been conceived in the rugby league heartland of Tasmania just after Parramatta won the first of their 3 consecutive comps in the spring of 1981. On the day I was born the Raiders played the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval, losing 61-20. Despite the early spanking there would be better days ahead and the duel with Manly would turn out to be a great rivalry in later years. I was literally a Raiders fan from day one.

In 1987 under Wayne Bennett the Raiders made their first ever Grand Final against Manly in 30+ degree heat (the last ever Grand Final at the S.C.G.). What a golden era the next 7-8 years would turn out to be. In 1989 when I was 7 the Raiders won their first premiership in the most epic Grand Final of all time, winning in extra time against the luckless Balmain Tigers (who I also have a soft spot for). The Green Machine went back to back in 1990 against Phil “Gus” Gould and Greg “Brandy” Alexander’s Panthers, then lost to them in 1991 in the re-match. They were destined to win the comp in 1993 only for a cruel twist of fate for talisman Ricky Stuart to be ruled out late in the season through injury, bowing out of the finals in straight sets, with the Broncos going back to back. The Raiders then bounced back in 1994 and won the comp (to this day their last premiership). They had a near-perfect regular season in 1995 going 20-2 (equal record with Manly) but fell one short of the Grand Final losing to eventual champions the Bulldogs in the Prelim Final, who exacted revenge for their loss the previous year, toppling the much favoured Sea Eagles.

In that 9-season period from 1987 to 1995 the Raiders played in 5 Grand Finals, winning 3 of them. They made the finals in all but one season (1992). I’ve inserted some highlights packages at the bottom of this article to enjoy.

In a wider sense this was also the golden era of rugby league - The Winfield Cup baby. What a time to be alive. I’ve got strong memories of playing rugby league at lunch times in the school yard (which teacher’s had banned so we had to play out of sight) and watching games on TV on weekends, when not every game was televised. This was the pre-internet era. You consumed your media on TV, through newspapers and magazines (like League Week) and on radio. I always watched league games on TV from afar with a yearning sense to be there and see it with my own eyes but never got the chance.

What a generation of players these gladiators were, many of whom were home grown, from the farms and small towns surrounding the district. These blokes, largely, weren’t from the bright lights of the big smoke. The recruitment gap was plugged by Kiwis, Queenslanders and Fijians. Lead by big Mal Meninga and supported by gun halves Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley, lock Bradley Clyde, explosive fullback Brett Mullins (and Gary Belcher before him), and speedsters Noa Nandruku and Ken Nagas out wide, and a fresh faced Kiwi hard-man named Ruben Wiki. Let’s not forget the engine room, with big Glenn Lazarus, Brent Todd, Paul Osborne, Gary Coyne, Quentin Pongia and David Lomax all playing a big part through that era.

These blokes inspired us to score explosive length of the field tries and put massive hits on our mates in the school yard. It was also an era that encouraged stiff arms, head high tackles, rucking at the play the ball, squeezing testicles and the odd pile driver. Loved every second of it. Key sponsor Canberra Milk springs to mind, as did Video Ezy. Add all the great callers and analysts into the mix - Ray “Rabs” Warren, Phil Gould, Fatty, Sterlo and Graeme Hughes. A young Vossy was cutting his teeth. What a beautiful era. Rabs of course was from the same town as Laurie Daley - Junee, country NSW., calling marbels running down the street. This is where he refined his craft. Throw Tina Turner into the equation and it all starts to get a bit emotional.

In the good old days the Raiders used to do full NZ tours in the preseaon, unheard of today. They would frequently play at the likes of Fraser Park in Lower Hutt in the early 90’s, fielding near full strength sides against local sides from Wainuiomata and Upper Hutt. It wasn’t purely for fun, they would also use the opportunity to pick up good talent along the way (Lomax boys for example). I’ve also heard great stories from locals who said they took full advantage of all the spoils on offer during their tours!

These days I still have a real soft spot for the Raiders. Don’t get me wrong the NZ Warriors are my No. 1 club these days, growing up in NZ, but anytime the Raiders play against anyone else, DNA cannot allow me to not support them.

Nowadays they have some real talent in the likes of Ethan Strange (who has smarts and mongrel), Xavier Savage with speed and X factor, and gun Kiwi reps like Matt Timoko (a real live wire powerhouse centre) and big bopper Joseph Tapine. A bloke that wore his Raiders heart on his sleeve who recently retired, Porirua-born Jordan Rapana was heart and soul Raiders for a decade. Gona miss his match winning inspirational moments. We should have won the 2019 Grand Final, that was our time to shine after killing off the Storm in Melbourne the week prior. Argh. Bloody Roosters and that bullshit 6-again call.

The Raiders and the Warriors are both due to win a comp. In a weird twist of fate they will kick off the 2025 NRL season against one another in Las Vegas. Bring it on baby. I’ll be there in some form whether it be in mind, or body, or spirit, or a combination of all three.

The tough thing about Canberra, perhaps unfairly, is that on one hand they produce an unbelievable amount of raw local talent, but its hard to retain them there as the bright lights of Sydney or Brisbane come calling. As a back-fill measure Canberra recruit very well from NZ, the Pacific, the UK and even Queensland. Think Ruben Wiki, Jo Tapine, Matt Timoko, Lomax, Pongia etc, Nadruku, Elliot Whitehead etc. Our boys just love getting an opportunity to play in the big leagues. But think of the great future coaches Tim Sheens has helped to bring through - Craig Bellamy, Michael Maguire and Ricky Stewart. Our game is in a great place thanks to these blokes. The rest of the league can thank the development of both players and coaches by the club, supplying the competition with valuable resources.

What I love about the Raiders these days is that everyone writes them off, as Ricky perfectly uses the “no one wants us to be here” line to get his boys up. The Raiders have that mongrel about them, no one wants to play them and they beat good teams who don’t respect them when it’s due. The Raiders play with heart, determination and no fear. I loved that come back from 20-0 down in 2024 against Manly at Brookvale, and the win against the Grand Finalists the Broncos at Suncorp in 2023 against all the odds. The Green Machine are always “there or there abouts” come playoffs time. They have had the Storm’s number in key playoff games (particularly in Melbourne) against former Raider Craig Bellamy, in 2022 and 2019. The Storm and The Raiders played an epic Prelim final in 2016 which the Raiders should have won, losing 14-12. A rivalry solidified during this period.

I love all the old boys. Ricky Stuart, Laurie Daley, Big Mal, Nagas & Nadruku, Mullins, old coach Sheens, Wiki. Last year the Raiders played the Bulldogs for the second year running in Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium and beat them again in a classic. It was old boys day to celebrate 30 years since that famous Grand Final win. Hard to believe it’s been that long ago, it feels like it was yesterday. At the end of the 1994 Grand Final Mal Meninga retired. A dream way to bow out on a stellar career. I sailed off into the sunset with Mal, to jump on the NZ Warriors bus who were about to become the first non-Australian side to enter the comp. I’ve supported the Warriors ever since but I still have a very soft spot in my heart for the Raiders.

Canberra were progressive in their day. Put a lot of that down to Sheens. The Raiders were way ahead of their time and Sheens knew where the game was going. He embraced diversity. He brought in great explosive players in key positions to support the likes of Mal, Stuart & Daley. He brought in now legendary Fijian players like Noa Nadruku, Kiwi boys like Ruben Wiki, hard-men Pongia and Lomax. Other clubs might have been a bit nervous at the time to do that. Canberra didn’t have the luxury that glamour clubs had. They had to attract talent who wanted to be there and win comps and try to retain players who wanted to stay. One has to remember that during this era the NRL wasn’t 50% made up of Polynesian and Kiwi players like it is today. The first mover was going to get an advantage. It reminds me of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the late 1940’s and the emergence of Jackie Robinson. As soon as they had the courage to give African American’s the chance to play in the big leagues (as they knew their talent was going to give them an advantage) it opened the floodgates. In rugby, the Crusaders on the other hand were the complete opposite, with their cross-eyed fans drunk on their own success, adhering to their strict “one non-white-guy only” policy up until about 2018.

One of my great regrets is that I’ve never been to Bruce Stadium (GIO), as much as I begged Dad to take me there numerous times. I’d much prefer be there in mid-July, at night, in the deep dark depths of winter when it’s -3 than watch on TV. If I bump into Ricky or any of the old boys from that era, well, I’m sure they won’t mind if I give them a hug and pinch their backsides for good measure as a sign of respect for what they have done to this club over the last 35+ years.

I’ve spent 40 years trying to grow up (mainly in NZ) but I feel like I know every blade of grass in Canberra. Dad used to take me down to Pearce Oval for a cricket net session in searing heat while listening to test cricket on the radio, or playing a game of one-on-one touch there, to kicking goals. My Dutch Grandma “Oma” would take me down to Mawson Shops where the old Raiders League’s club was and have a Raiders Lime drink and sausage roll. We’d go up Mount Taylor to take the dogs for a walk and spot Kangaroos, or down to Woden shops where Dad bought me my favourite Kookaburra bat as a kid. Dad lived in Hughes and Garran but now lives in Pearce in our Grandparents house which my Polish Grandfather and decorated war veteran “Bapa” built with his two hands. My Oma got me a Raiders jersey when I was 9, printed with the number 3 on the back in honour of Big Mal. Love going to my auntie’s place in Waniassa, or swimming at Erindale Pool. We’d go horse riding on my auntie and cousin’s horses there too. I was born at Belconnen Hospital in the northern suburbs.

Here are some beautiful highlights from the 1994 season. Take a look at Brett Mullins chip and chase against the 2-time premiers the Broncos (shove this up your back passage QLD fans). Brett Mullins loved smoking darts. I’m not encouraging it but these were the rock stars of their day. Just ask Fletch. He loves Mullins, his old team mate at the Chooks.