Canberra Raiders facts for kids

{{Infobox rugby league club | clubname =  Canberra Raiders  | image = File:Raidersbadge.png | fullname = Canberra Raiders
Rugby League Club | nickname = Raiders, The Green Machine, The Milk | shortname = | founded = 30 March 1981; 44 years ago (1981-03-30) in Queanbeyan | ground = Canberra Stadium | capacity = 25,000 | chairman = Dennis Richardson | ceo = Don Furner Jr | colours =      Lime Green
     White
     Navy | mgrtitle = Coach | manager = Ricky Stuart | captain = Elliot Whitehead | web = raiders.com.au | league = National Rugby League | season = 2024 season | position = 9th | premierships = 3 | premiershipyears = 1989, 1990, 1994 | minorpremierships = 1 | minorpremiershipyears = 1990 | spoons = 1 | spoonyears = 1982 | runnerups = 3 | runnerupyears = 1987, 1991, 2019 | cap = 318 | mostcap = Jason Croker | tries = 136 | mosttries = Jarrod Croker | points = 2374 | mostpoints = Jarrod Croker | current = 2024 Canberra Raiders season

| homejersey =

| awayjersey =

|}

The Canberra Raiders are a professional rugby league team from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They play in Australia's top rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL). The club started playing in 1982.

The Raiders have won three premierships and played in six Grand Finals. Their home ground is Canberra Stadium in Bruce. Before 1990, they played at Seiffert Oval in Queanbeyan, New South Wales. The team's official symbol is the Viking, and their mascot is named Victor the Viking.

History of the Canberra Raiders

The New South Wales Rugby Football League (NSWRFL) wanted to expand outside Sydney in the early 1980s. The Queanbeyan Blues rugby league team was chosen to form the Canberra team. In 1981, the Canberra team became the 14th club for the 1982 NSWRFL season. They were one of the first clubs outside Sydney since 1909.

Early Years: The 1980s

The Raiders had a tough start, finishing last in their first year. They were sometimes called "Canberra Faders" because they often lost games late. In 1982, they let in more tries than any other team in a season. Their first win was 12–11 against Newtown in their eighth game.

In 1983, they won nine games, which was a big improvement. By 1984, they had a winning record and almost made the semi-finals. Even though they didn't make the finals, the team started to build a strong group of players. These included Mal Meninga, Gary Belcher, Steve Walters, and John Ferguson.

This period became the most successful for the Raiders. They played in five Grand Finals and won three premierships. In 1987, the team reached the semi-finals for the first time. They made it to the Grand Final but lost to Manly-Warringah 18–8. Important players like Laurie Daley, Peter Jackson, and Glenn Lazarus joined the team that year.

Chart of yearly table positions for Canberra Raiders in First Grade Rugby League

In 1988, the Raiders scored many points and won big games. They finished third again but were knocked out in the finals. Future international players Bradley Clyde and Ricky Stuart made their debuts.

The 1989 season was amazing. The Raiders won nine games in a row to make the finals. They beat Cronulla and Penrith Panthers. Then they defeated South Sydney to reach their second Grand Final.

The 1989 Grand Final against Balmain was one of the best ever. The Raiders tied the game late with a try and conversion. Then, Steve Jackson scored the winning try in extra time. This gave the Raiders their first premiership! After this, they played in the 1989 World Club Challenge in England but lost to Widnes.

In 1988, fullback Gary Belcher was the league's top point scorer. In 1989, he was also the first fullback to be the top try scorer.

Success and Challenges: The 1990s

The 1990 season was fantastic. All three Raiders teams (first grade, reserves, and juniors) made their Grand Finals. The first-grade team won their first Minor Premiership and their second straight title. They beat Penrith in the Grand Final.

In 1991, the Raiders reached their fourth Grand Final in a row but lost to Penrith. Jason Croker, who would become the team's longest-serving player, started playing this year. After this, some key players left the club. This led to the Raiders missing the finals in 1992 for the first time since 1986. David Furner, son of former coach Don Furner, also debuted this year.

The Raiders won their final premiership in 1994. It was a big win against the Bulldogs, with a final score of 36–12. After 1994, the Raiders found it harder to attract top players. They were knocked out early in the 1996 finals. In 1997, they joined the Super League competition, losing in the preliminary final. When the NRL was formed in 1998, the team started to decline. Club legends Ricky Stuart and Bradley Clyde left the club.

New Millennium: The 2000s

In the 2000s, the Raiders had mixed results. They often finished just inside or outside the top eight. In 2003, the Raiders surprised everyone by leading the competition for most of the season. They almost won the minor premiership. They lost in the preliminary final by just one point to the New Zealand Warriors.

In 2004, the Raiders finished eighth and were knocked out in the first week of finals. Club legends Ruben Wiki and Mark McLinden left the team. Many thought the 2005 team wouldn't do well, but they played strongly early in the season. Injuries later affected them, and they finished second last.

In 2006, many important players like Simon Woolford, Clinton Schifcofske, and Jason Croker left the club. Despite this, the team made the finals but lost to the Bulldogs. Coach Matthew Elliott also left. Neil Henry became the new coach.

The 2007 season was disappointing, with the Raiders finishing 14th. They struggled to win away from home. In 2008, the Raiders showed promise, winning some early games. Despite many injuries, they made the finals by winning seven of their last nine games. However, they were eliminated in the first week.

The 2009 season started slowly. However, young players like Josh Dugan, Jarrod Croker, and Travis Waddell helped them win games. They had memorable wins against top teams like the Melbourne Storm and St George-Illawarra Dragons. They finished 13th.

Recent Times: The 2010s and 2020s

The 2010 season started tough but the Raiders improved greatly. They won eight of their last nine regular season games to make the top eight. They beat the Penrith Panthers in the first week of finals, their first finals win in ten years. They then played the Wests Tigers at home in front of a record crowd but lost by two points, ending their season.

In 2011, the Raiders added new players like Blake Ferguson and Brett White. After a strong start, they lost eight games in a row. They then had a big upset win against the Melbourne Storm in Melbourne. They finished 15th.

The Raiders finished 6th in the 2012 NRL season and made the finals. They beat the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks but were eliminated by South Sydney the next week.

The 2013 NRL season started with tough losses. Some players also faced disciplinary issues. However, the team managed to win some big games, including against the undefeated Melbourne Storm.

In 2014, Ricky Stuart became the new head coach. The team finished 15th. In 2015, they finished 10th.

The 2016 NRL season was a great year. Canberra finished 2nd, their best result in a long time. They made the finals for the first time since 2012. Jarrod Croker broke the club's point-scoring record. They reached the preliminary final but lost to the Melbourne Storm.

In 2017 and 2018, Canberra finished 10th and missed the finals. The 2018 season was marked by losing games despite having big leads.

The 2019 NRL season started very well, with the club winning five of their first six games. New players Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and John Bateman were outstanding. Canberra reached their first Grand Final in 25 years after beating South Sydney. In the 2019 NRL Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters, Canberra lost 14–8 in a very close game.

In the 2020 NRL season, Canberra finished fifth. They won two finals games before losing to Melbourne in the preliminary final. The 2021 NRL season started well, but the team struggled in the middle of the year. They finished 10th.

The 2022 NRL season also started poorly. However, the Raiders won eight of their last ten games to make the finals in 8th place. They upset Melbourne in the first week of finals but lost to Parramatta the next week.

In the 2023 NRL season, Canberra finished 8th and made the finals. They lost to Newcastle in extra time, extending their premiership drought to 30 seasons. In the 2024 NRL season, Canberra finished 9th, just missing the finals. They ended the season with three wins, including upsets against Penrith and the Sydney Roosters.

Youth Teams: Toyota Cup (Under 20s)

The Raiders' Toyota Cup team won the Under 20s Premiership in 2008, beating the Broncos 28–24 in extra time. In 2009, they finished eighth but upset minor premiers Manly in the finals before being knocked out.

Season Records

Finals Appearances

The Canberra Raiders have made the finals 24 times:

• 1987
• 1988
• 1989
• 1990
• 1991
• 1993
• 1994
• 1995
• 1996
• 1997
• 1998
• 2000
• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2006
• 2008
• 2010
• 2012
• 2016
• 2019
• 2020
• 2022
• 2023

Team Colors and Logos

The Raiders' team colors are lime green and white, with blue and gold stripes. Lime green was chosen to make the team stand out. Blue and gold are the traditional sports colors of the Australian Capital Territory.

The first jersey design was chosen through a competition in 1981. Ms Patricia Taylor created the winning design. The lime green color came from David Lane's entry.

• Canberra Raiders Logos
• 

  1981–1999

• 

  2000–2019

• 

  2020–2023

• Home jerseys of the Raiders
• 

  1982–1987

• 

  1988–1989

• 

  1990–1993

• 

  1994–1996

• 

  1997–1999

• 

  2023

Shirt Sponsors and Manufacturers

Home Stadiums

Seiffert Oval

From 1982 to 1989, the Raiders played their home games at Seiffert Oval in Queanbeyan, New South Wales. Their first game there was on March 6, 1982, against the Western Suburbs Magpies. The Magpies won 33–4. The Raiders' first win at Seiffert was 21–11 against Newtown on April 18.

The Raiders played 98 games at Seiffert Oval, winning 52 of them. The biggest crowd at Seiffert was 18,272 in 1989, when the Raiders beat the Brisbane Broncos.

Bruce/Canberra Stadium

In 1990, the Canberra Raiders moved to Bruce Stadium, which is next to the Australian Institute of Sport. This stadium was later renamed Canberra Stadium and then GIO Stadium. The club has played over 300 games there.

The attendance record at Canberra Stadium is 26,567. This was for a finals game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2019. The Raiders won 16–10 and went on to their first Grand Final since 1994. The Raiders share the stadium with the Super Rugby team, the ACT Brumbies.

Canberra Raiders Leagues Club

The Queanbeyan Leagues Club (QLC) started in 1963. In 1972, the QLC burned down but was rebuilt a year later. The famous "Blue Room" was added, offering dining and music. The club's auditorium hosted popular acts.

In 1989, the auditorium was updated, and a nightclub was built. When the Canberra Raiders were formed in 1982, the QLC grew a lot because of the team's early success.

The club is part of the Raiders Group. This group runs several clubs in the ACT and Queanbeyan:

• Raiders Belconnen
• Raiders Gungahlin
• Raiders Mawson Club
• Raiders Weston

Current Squad

Famous Players

25-Year Dream Team

This "Dream Team" was chosen by the Canberra Times in 2006 to celebrate the club's 25th season.

Coaches

The Canberra Raiders' first coach was Don Furner. He was a former player for Queensland and Australia. In 1987, Wayne Bennett joined him, and the Raiders reached their first Grand Final. In 2022, Ricky Stuart became the coach who has served the longest.

Team Statistics and Records

The Raiders' biggest win was by 68 points. They beat the Parramatta Eels 68-0 in 1993. Their worst loss was 4–68 against the Melbourne Storm in 2013. Canberra has won eleven games in a row twice, in 1990 and 1995.

Jason Croker has played the most games for the Raiders, with 318 games from 1991 to 2006. He also holds the club's record for most tries, with 120. Jarrod Croker is Canberra's highest point scorer ever, with 2374 points. He was the NRL's top point scorer in 2012, 2015, and 2016. He also won the Dally M captain of the year award in 2016.

Club Achievements

Premierships (3) Year Opponent Competition Score 1989 Balmain Tigers Winfield Cup 19–14 1990 Penrith Panthers Winfield Cup 18–14 1994 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Winfield Cup 36–12	Runners Up (3) Year Opponent Competition Score 1987 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Winfield Cup 18–8 1991 Penrith Panthers Winfield Cup 19–12 2019 Sydney Roosters NRL 14-8
Minor Premierships (1) Year Competition Wins 1990 Winfield Cup 16 (1 draw)

Youth and Pre-Season Trophies

• NSWRL Premier League: 1

2003

• New South Wales Rugby League Club Championships: 1

1990

• Channel TEN Challenge Cup: 1

1990

• Tooheys Challenge Cup: 1

1993

• Jersey Flegg Cup: 2

1989, 1993

• Under-20s Competition: 1

2008

• Presidents Cup: 2

1990, 1995

• S.G. Ball Cup: 3

1995, 2005, 2021

• Harold Matthews Cup: 4

1978, 1984, 1993, 1995

Supporters

The Canberra Raiders have many loyal fans. There are fan websites, podcasts like "Raidercast," and forums such as "The Greenhouse."

Raiders fans are famous for their "Viking War Horn" and the "Viking Thunder Clap." This clap is similar to the chant made popular by fans of the Iceland national football team.

Many famous people support the club, including:

Women's Team

See also

In Spanish: Canberra Raiders para niños