The 2016 Canberra Raiders season is the 35th in the club's history. Coached by Ricky Stuart and captained by Jarrod Croker, the Raiders are currently competing in the NRL's 2016 Telstra Premiership. They also competed in the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines pre-season tournament.
Squad
Player transfers A † denotes that the transfer occurred during the 2016 season.
+ Gains Player Signed From Until End of Notes Adam Clydsdale Newcastle Knights Jeff Lima Catalans Dragons (Super League) Kato Ottio PNG Hunters (QLD Cup) Junior Paulo† Parramatta Eels Zac Santo North Queensland Cowboys Aidan Sezer Gold Coast Titans Joseph Tapine† Newcastle Knights Elliott Whitehead Catalans Dragons (Super League)
+ Losses Player Signed To Until End of Notes Mitch Cornish Parramatta Eels Joel Edwards Wests Tigers Jeremy Hawkins Melbourne Storm Josh McCrone St. George Illawarra Dragons Mark Nicholls Melbourne Storm Frank-Paul Nu'uausala† Wigan Warriors (Super League) Kyle O'Donnell Retirement Tevita Pangai Junior† Brisbane Broncos David Shillington Gold Coast Titans Sisa Waqa† FC Grenoble (Top 14 - rugby union)
Fixtures NRL Auckland Nines
The NRL Auckland Nines is a pre-season rugby league nines competition featuring all 16 NRL clubs. The 2016 competition was played over two days on 6 February and 7 February at Eden Park. The Raiders feature in the Piha pool and played the Dragons, Sharks and Titans.
Regular season Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 5 MarchRound 1 Penrith PanthersGIO Stadium30 - 22Austin, Fensom, E Lee, Sezer (2)J Croker (5/7)11,297Saturday, 12 MarchRound 2 Sydney RoostersGIO Stadium21 - 20J Croker, Papalii (2), SoliolaJ Croker (2/4), Williams (1 FG)12,423Saturday, 19 MarchRound 3 Newcastle KnightsHunter Stadium24 - 24B Lee, Papalii, Rapana, SoliolaJ Croker (4/6)13,745Saturday, 26 MarchRound 4 Gold Coast TitansGIO Stadium20 - 24J Croker, E Lee, WhiteheadJ Croker (4/4)11,039Monday, 4 AprilRound 5 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsBelmore Sports Ground8 - 22J Croker (2), WightonJ Croker (5/5)13,463Saturday, 9 AprilRound 6 Parramatta EelsPirtek Stadium26 - 6AustinJ Croker (1/1)12,947Sunday, 17 AprilRound 7 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksGIO Stadium16 - 40Baptiste, Rapana, SezerJ Croker (2/3)12,890Saturday, 23 AprilRound 8 Wests TigersGIO Stadium60 - 6Boyd, J Croker, Leilua (2), Rapana (4), Sezer, Vaughan, WhiteheadJ Croker (8/11)13,420Saturday, 30 AprilRound 9 Penrith PanthersCarrington Park19 - 18Rapana (2), VaughanJ Croker (2/3)6,721Thursday, 12 MayRound 10 St. George Illawarra DragonsUOW Jubilee Oval16 - 12J Croker, RapanaJ Croker (2/2)9,647Saturday, 21 MayRound 11 New Zealand WarriorsYarrow Stadium12 - 38Austin, J Croker, Hodgson, E Lee, Leilua, PapaliiJ Croker (7/8)12,833Sunday, 29 MayRound 12 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsGIO Stadium32 - 12E Lee, Leilua, Rapana, Soliola, Tapine (2)J Croker (4/6)13,907Friday, 3 JuneRound 13 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesGIO Stadium30 - 18Hodgson, B Lee, Papalii, Whitehead, WightonJ Croker (5/5)9,157Thursday, 9 JuneRound 14 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium26 - 18Austin, Baptiste (2)J Croker (3/3)25,021Round 15Bye Sunday, 26 JuneRound 16 Gold Coast TitansCbus Super Stadium22 - 30J Croker (2), B Lee (2), VaughanJ Croker (5/7)12,645Sunday, 3 JulyRound 17 Newcastle KnightsGIO Stadium29 - 25Austin, J Croker (2), Rapana, WightonJ Croker (3/3), Sezer (1/1), Austin (1 FG)9,731Monday, 11 JuneRound 18 North Queensland CowboysGIO Stadium26 - 12Hodgson, Sezer, Wighton (2)J Croker (5/6)8,328Round 19Bye Saturday, 23 JulyRound 20 New Zealand WarriorsGIO Stadium26 - 22J Croker (3), Leilua, TapineJ Croker (3/4)9,471Sunday, 31 JulyRound 21 South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium4 - 54Austin, J Croker, Hodgson, E Lee, Leilua, Rapana (2), Soliola, Whitehead (2), WightonJ Croker (7/10)10,076Saturday, 6 AugustRound 22 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksSouthern Cross Group Stadium14 - 30Austin, Rapana (2), WightonJ Croker (7/7)15,133Monday, 15 AugustRound 23 Melbourne StormGIO Stadium22 - 8Boyd, Leilua (2)J Croker (5/5)15,707Sunday, 21 AugustRound 24 Parramatta EelsGIO Stadium28 - 18J Croker, B Lee (4), SoliolaJ Croker (2/6)18,825Saturday, 27 AugustRound 25 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesBrookvale Oval30 - 44E Lee, Leilua (2), Rapana (3), Vaughan, WightonJ Croker (6/8)11,137Sunday, 4 SeptemberRound 26 Wests TigersLeichhardt Oval10 - 52J Croker, Hodgson, Leilua, Papalii (2), Rapana (2), Tapine, WilliamsJ Croker (6/6), Sezer (2/3)18,634 Legend:
Finals
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 10 SeptemberQualifying Final Cronulla-Sutherland SharksGIO Stadium14 - 16Hodgson, RapanaJ Croker (3/3)25,592Saturday, 17 SeptemberSemi Final Penrith PanthersGIO Stadium22 - 12Austin, J Croker, RapanaJ Croker (5/5)21,498Saturday, 24 SeptemberPreliminary Final Melbourne StormAAMI Park12 - 14Rapana, WhiteheadSezer (2/2)28,161 Legend:
Ladder
Player statistics
Highest try scorers
No.PlayerGamesTries1Jordan Rapana26212Jarrod Croker26173Joseph Leilua2410=4Jack Wighton258=4Blake Austin198
Most goals
No.PlayerGamesGoals1Jarrod Croker261122Aidan Sezer233
Most field goals
No.PlayerGamesField goals=1Blake Austin181=1Sam Williams91
Highest point scorers
No.PlayerGamesTriesGoalsField goalsPoints1Jarrod Croker261811202962Jordan Rapana262200883Joseph Leilua241000404Blake Austin18801335Jack Wighton2580032
Representative
Domestic PlayerTeamCall-up WG Edrick Lee Indigenous All Stars 2016 All Stars Match BE Jack Wighton Indigenous All Stars 2016 All Stars Match CE Jarrod Croker World All Stars 2016 All Stars Match FE Aidan Sezer NSW City 2016 City vs Country Origin PR Shannon Boyd NSW Country 2016 City vs Country Origin CE Jarrod Croker NSW Country 2016 City vs Country Origin BE Paul Vaughan NSW Country 2016 City vs Country Origin FB Jack Wighton NSW Country 2016 City vs Country Origin BE Josh Papalii Queensland 2016 State of Origin
International PlayerTeamCall-up SR Josh Papalii Australia 2016 Anzac Test CE Sisa Waqa Fiji 2016 Melanesian Cup BE Kurt Baptiste Papua New Guinea 2016 Melanesian Cup CE Kato Ottio Papua New Guinea 2016 Melanesian Cup
Honours The Raiders' club awards were announced during their awards night on 19 September. Mal Meninga Medal: Josh Hodgson and Josh Papalii NRL Coaches Award: Joseph Leilua and Jordan Rapana NRL Rookie of the Year: Clay Priest Fred Daly Clubman of the Year: Iosia Soliola NYC Player of the Year: Jack Williams NYC Coaches Award: Daniel Dole Gordon McLucas Junior Representative Player of the Year: Nick Cotric Geoff Caldwell Welfare and Education Award: Jack Hickson
References