Youth proving key for rampant Raiders in NRL title bid
Sebastian Tan |
Premiership hopefuls Canberra are the NRL’s youngest team and Matt Timoko says the Raiders’ youth has been critical to their rise to the top.
It can take something special for a league’s youngest team to compete with more seasoned rivals.
In the AFL, the youngest side is North Melbourne, who are second-last on the ladder, while oldest side Collingwood are in first place.
But the youngest team in the NRL is defying the ‘experience is everything’ stereotype as the Raiders sit two points clear on the ladder, with an average age of 25.02 years.
With six rounds to go, they have won nine straight, have a bye in hand and won’t play any current top four sides before the finals.
Canberra have the calm hand of experience with the likes of halfback Jamal Fogarty and veteran props Josh Papali’i and Joe Tapine.
But fullback Kaeo Weekes (23), winger Xavier Savage (23), centre Matt Timoko (25), hooker Owen Pattie (21) and five-eighth Ethan Strange (19) headline a throng of players aged 25 or younger.
“A lot of the young boys that are coming in are actually probably standing out the most,” said Timoko, who scored a double in Sunday’s win over Newcastle.
“You’ve got young Ethan Strange, Kaeo Weeks, and Owen Pattie, that’s coming out too.
“The main thing is because of how close the group is.
“Obviously there are things going on behind the scenes that are helping us with coaches and stuff, but just the camaraderie of the team is the thing that stands out the most.
“Man, it’s easy for me. I just reap the benefits of his (Kaeo Weekes’s) doings.”
Penrith won the 2021 premiership with an average squad age of 24.45, helping set them up for the current dynasty and four straight titles.
Otherwise, the only other squad younger than the Raiders to lift the trophy in the past 15 years are the Sydney Roosters of 2013, who averaged 24.87.
AAP
