The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Canberra Raiders have developed a formidable partnership in recent years, implementing programs to deliver positive community messages, mentor players within the club, and aid the professional and physical development of both police and athletes.

The AFP Management of Serious Crime Program (MOSC) and ACT Policing have worked closely with the Raiders to develop a professional development program based on the MOSC program outdoor exercise delivered by the AFP to national and international law enforcement agencies.

On Tuesday 11 December 2007, the AFP will deliver this unique program to Raiders players for the first time. The program will run for three days, culminating on Thursday 13 December in a formal presentation on Springbank Island in the centre of Lake Burley Griffin.

MEDIA INVITATION

Media are invited to participate in final stage of this program to be held between the AFP Water Police Office and Springbank Island on Lake Burley Griffin from 1.30pm on Thursday 13 December 2007.

Opportunities for vision and photographs will occur at this point followed by a formal media conference at 2.20pm.

Media are asked to assemble outside Water Police after securing vision and photographs at 2.10pm in preparation for the media conference.

The briefing will be conducted outside the AFP Water Police Office on Alexandrina Drive, Yarralumla, following which, interested media will be ferried to Springbank Island to witness the final stages of the program.

A further photo opportunity following the formal presentation will include all Raiders players, AFP program facilitators and AFP resources including Water Police boats and helicopter.

The event will conclude by 3pm.

MEDIA CONFERENCE

At 2.20pm, a media conference will be conducted involving Commissioner Mick Keelty, Chief Police Officer Mike Phelan, Raiders CEO Don Furner, Raiders Head Coach Neil Henry and Captain Alan Tongue.

PICTURED: Raiders supporter Marko Milinkovic congratulates Raiders skipper Alan Tongue (and Becky Tongue) on winning his second Raiders fans choice player of the year award last week.

Story & Photo By : Canberra Raiders Media Release
Canberra Raiders Fans have chosen inspirational skipper Alan Tongue as their best and fairest player for 2007, presenting him with his second Canberra Raiders fans choice player of the year award last week.

It’s the second year in a row Tongue claimed the honour of the fans best, after taking out the award in 2006.

The award is determined through an online voting system through www.thegh.com.au, where fans submit their 3-2-1 votes each week based on the Raiders performances.

These votes are then tallied by site administrators, with the top vote getter each week receiving three points for the award, while the second and third vote getters get two and one points respectively.

In a very close competition Tongue finished on top of the leader board with 19 points, just one point above five-eighth Todd Carney on 18 points and two points above Raiders Player of the Year Scott Logan who finished with 17 points.

In a strong indication of the awards merit the final standings where almost identical to the Raiders Dally M votes in season 2007, with only Tongue and Carney’s positions reversed in the Raiders top five vote getters for the season.

Raiders Captain and Fans choice winner Alan Tongue said it was a great honour to go back to back with the award, and thanked the fans for their support in 2007.

“To win this award again is a huge thrill for me as it’s determined by the people that count the most, the fans,” Tongue said. “The Raiders fan base proved this year that they’re as strong as ever and hopefully this continues in 2008.”

Spokesman for the award Marko Milinkovic said the ‘fans choice’ is a great way to show the Raiders that the fans support the club, and it also represented a wide cross section of Green machine faithful.

“The Raiders have always had a very strong and loyal supporter base in the NRL and having our own award to present is a brilliant way to show some of the support this great club really has,” Milinkovic said.

Former Forbes local Josh Miller training with Nyngan’s Nick Colley at Cowra.

Story & Photo By :

Laced with the talented duo of Joel Thompson and Michael Brophy – both junior Kangaroos who recently completed a whirlwind three-game tour to Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand – the Raiders are hoping to forge their way into the list of 2008 contenders.

The pair joined the likes of established first grade stars Israel Folau (Melbourne), Michael Jennings (Penrith) and Chris Lawrence (Wests Tigers) in the Junior Kangaroos squad.

Thompson and Brophy are yet to taste NRL action but Henry is hoping the talented duo crack the top grade squad and make an immediate impact next campaign.

He labelled exciting fullback William Zillman and 2007 rookie Joe Picker as other players he is expecting to blossom.

“Will Zillman needs to build on his year from last year,” he said.

“Joel Thompson was another junior Kangaroo last year who we’re hoping to see big things from.

“Michael Brophy will step up and Joe Picker, who played nine first grade games last year, showed that he has got some potential as well.”

Thompson, originally from Forbes’ Red Bend College, made the switch from premiers Melbourne Storm to the Raiders only months ago in search of a first grade spot. Canberra’s proximity to his home town also enables him to make regular visits back to Forbes.

Henry claimed a fair percentage of his squad were like Thompson in coming from regional areas.

“We’ve got a few Tamworth boys, some from Forbes as well. There is some from Canberra and other regions like Wagga, Albury-Wodonga and Moruya so it’s close to 40 per cent.”

The Canberra mentor, who was at the helm for his first season after acting as an assistant to Graham Murray at the North Queensland Cowboys for a number of years, said it’s important high-profile teams continue to promote the game in the country areas.

“We try and travel and train in two different places every year.

“It’s important to come to places like Cowra. It’s traditionally a rugby league town with some good footballing talent.

“Peter Garlick, president of the seniors, approached us and we sat down for a meeting with the committee and thought it would be a great idea.”

RAIDERS CONFIRM TRIAL MATCHES

The CFMEU Canberra Raiders will begin season 2008 with a solid workout, as they confirmed today their two trial matches for early next year.

The Raiders will head into country NSW to Orange for their first trial against the 2006 Premiers the Brisbane Broncos on February 23, before moving north of the border to Mackay on March 1 for a second hit out against the North Queensland Cowboys.

Raiders CEO Don Furner said the Raiders will be looking at using both matches a solid platform for the beginning of the season, and expected both Queensland based outfits to turn out NRL quality teams.

“We’ve got two very good hit outs against the Broncos and the Cowboys and it will give our Coach Neil Henry a good chance to try some different combinations, and hopefully get through those matches well prepared and injury free.”

Furner said it was important that the Raiders gave their supporters in rural areas a chance to see them play, as well as giving the strong Queensland based contingent of fans a chance to see the Green Machine in action.

“We’re taking the game back to the county, we’ve got a trial in Orange on February 23 which will give our country based supporters a chance to watch the team,” he said.

“Then our Queensland supporters will get a chance to see the guys in action when they take on the Cowboys in Neville Costigan’s hometown of Mackay on the first of March.”

Furner said he was looking forward to seeing most of the top squad in action, which included the return of Adrian Purtell from injury, and new recruit Joel Monaghan.

“We have Adrian Purtell coming back after his unfortunate DVT injury and Joel Monaghan back from the Roosters so it will give them a chance to get some football under their belts,” he said.

“Adrian was playing good football before his freak injury and at the age of 22 we hope he has a good future with us, while Joel was in great form towards the end of the year with the Roosters.”

Raiders trial matches

February 23 – CFMEU Canberra Raiders V Brisbane Broncos – Wade Park, Orange

2008 OPEN TRIALS:
Under 16's - Tuesday 18 September
Under 18's - Wednesday 19 September
at Northbourne Oval

The Canberra Raiders invite interested players wishing to trial for the 2008 Season to complete a registration form and return their details by no later than Monday, 10th September 2007 to:

Dave Hamilton - Canberra Raiders
PO Box 3315 Belconnen BC ACT 2617
or fax: 6251 5989 or Ph: 6253 3515

Download form

2008 OPEN REGIONAL TRIALS:
Under 16's, Under 18's, National Under 20's
Saturday 22 September, 2007
at Northbourne Oval

The Canberra Raiders invite interested players wishing to trial for the 2008 Season to complete a registration form and return their details by no later than Monday, 17th September 2007 to:

Dave Hamilton - Canberra Raiders
PO Box 3315 Belconnen BC ACT 2617
or fax: 6251 5989 or Ph: 6253 3515

The Raiders seemed out of sorts during the semi-final, and lacked the form that had carried them to the final four of the competition.

Parramatta was in blitzing form and dominated all aspects of play for the full 70 minutes, while the Raiders never really found their feet, making silly ball handling and decisional errors.

It was a day of double disappointments for the Canberra team with player Josh Dugan injured. He suffered a suspected cruciate ligament rupture and may face a long recovery period.

Coach David Hamilton said the result was an extremely disappointing one and Parramatta earned their spot in the finals.

"They [Raiders] just didn’t get off the bus did they?" Hamilton said. "Just disappointing in all areas. Parramatta was just too big, too strong, and too quick. They were very physical. They just killed us on the ground we just couldn’t get any momentum going the way they were, that was where they were outstanding actually."

Hamilton said his side will learn from the defeat and the performance didn’t reflect the effort and success of the season.

"We’ve just got to walk away and learn a lesson, you know it hurts but you’ve got to sit back and review the season," Hamilton said. "The season was pretty successful in the end but the last game sort of tarnishes that. I just wanted to thank all the staff and all the players for a great effort. In the end it was a great season, we’ve just come up against great opposition today. Success is gauged in different ways too and I think a lot of the boys have come on big time this year so that’s a positive for us."

The final of the SG Ball Cup will be held next Saturday between Parramatta and Penrith.

ERINDALE IN SEVEN HEAVEN

The match was a hard fought affair with a high skill level, and Raiders junior development officer Leigh Woodbridge said the result reflected the high standard of college rugby league in the ACT.

"Any four of the semi-finalists could have gone out and won this years competition, and I think that's a good sign for rugby league in Canberra," Woodbridge said. "Erindale were too good today, but I'm sure the rest of this years inter school tournaments will also be hotly contested.

In the semi-finals of the competition Erindale defeated St Francis Xavier by 16-12, while Dickson held out Hawker College 22-8.

JASON CROKER AND DAVID FURNER SHIELDS A HUGE SUCCESS

Caroline Chisolm won the Jason Croker Shield on Wednesday after defeating Kaleen High School 20-0 in the final, in the year’s 7/8 division of rugby league sevens.

Then Lyneham High School took out the David Furner Shield on Thursday, as they defeated Melrose High 14-8 in a tightly fought contest.

Trailing 8-0 with only a few minutes on the clock Lyneham High School scored three unanswered tries, to over run the previously undefeated Melrose High in the year’s 9/10 division of rugby league sevens.

Raiders assistant Coach David Furner was on hand to present the shield named in his honour, and said it was great to see such a great game of rugby league.

“Today’s final was a great display of rugby league and was played in good spirit,” Furner said. “Lyneham High deserved to win this years competition, but full credit must go to the way the Melrose High team played today.”

The Jason Croker and David Furner shields are part of the Canberra Raiders High School and College rugby league programs, and Raiders junior development officer Leigh Woodbridge said it was great to see so many people participating.

“We have had children from all over the region here during the past few days and it’s been a great display of the seven a side game,” Woodbridge said. “Hopefully all the schools continue on next semester to play in the 13 a side competition.”