NRL Documentary | Engineering the Green Machine | Canberra Raiders

[Music] we're B and me the green machine we hit them hard so they see green we're big and strong we're fast and lean that's why we're called the green machine with the bad and the camber Raiders joined the New South Wales rugby league competition in 1982 the first 5 years brought little joy and no finals appearances during this time coach Don ferer and secretary John McIntyre worked on a philosophy which was about to give the club sustained success I didn't really want to go to Sydney because of you know it's my lifestyle and bit of a country boy you know brought up in the country areas of Queensland here's an overlap for meninga breakes one t for Queensland meninga will go in the corner great try Queensland Mingo I felt there was this one team Town mentality their Juniors were very strong their Reserve grade just made the finals the new state of origin concept was unearthing players in Queensland who wanted to try their hand in the New South Wales competition it was great because we're instant mates you know so we're sort of you new newbies you know coming into the camber system malinga Gary Belcher Sam beo Gary coin and Steve Walters came to CRA in 1986 obviously having Gary there who played with me at sou and then we had Gary coin who just used to live down the road for me in Brisbane even though he was playing for for winter Manley uh I didn't know much about Steve wallers be honest with about Don's ey you know he's seen Steve wallers and he was certainly right there another person to head down to cber that year was a former Australian Winger and promising young Coach Wayne Bennett he brought with him Kevy walers and Peter Jackson and and Peter obviously played with him in sou as well so that familiarization and in 1987 and the Raiders qualified for their inaugural finals appearance and first ever Grand Final for Mal meninga he had his own personal battles with injuries during this time he suffered four broken arms that threatened his very playing career I trained as hard as I could possibly could you know for that 18 months I was out with those broken arms and Wayne said to me I think the doc think you can play so had an X-ray done you know and to see how it was all progressing it was fine and f a big God back into meninga meninga seares to the line and he scored a try now meninga scored a try for camera again I didn't last the game but you know the impact was good I really enjoyed it ladies and gentlemen a fairy tale come true for the BLS from canra the Raiders the second week I come back and playing in the Grand Final it it had an adverse effect because I just wasn't fit enough to put me hand up on a pretty hot day you know against a very hot meley side the Raiders were defeated on the day but the seed had been sown for greater success to come I was fortunate where I two at 87 with the Wes to Argentina there's Ricky Stewart Elusive and this fellow's really hitting his straps just when camber want want him to do it too in those days playing rugby union you weren't allowed to talk to a rugby league club I still remember Warren Ryan and Matt Parish actually sneering me in a corner at the car park I said I can't talk to you guys here and I said look I got a handshake deal that I always talk to John McIntyre before I make any decision um but I'm going to go to rugby league I made a phone call to John McIntyre he was up on the Wednesday speaking to a great friend those days but turned into being my manager was John forom we went to John's house and had a couple of bottles of red and discussion and I was at B leak Club the next day telling uh Keith Barnes and Warren Ry that I was going to the Raiders he suited us because we had such a great footy team and and can play the game you know he was putting putting us into into positions where he would allowed us to play footing in 1988 Tim Sheen came down from penth to take over as coach of the side the perfect Mentor for the wealth of Junior talent coming through at Cambra Sheen had taken the Panthers to their first ever finals appearance by blooding the likes of Greg Alexander Mark guire and John cartride Shey came in to what it was a very good site and we sort of helped each other as a as a group you know so we had some pretty influential players playing the game a lot of young kids the Lori D Ricky Stewart starting to come through Bradley Clydes Glenn Lazarus yeah it was a magical time well I signed on with the Raiders when I was 15 Bradley C on his way through now he slipped over he's no chance of getting here's another try for the cam Raiders I would go along and train with first grad and and the start of the week all all of the the club trained together and I was a part of that and you know here I was uh being introduced to to Mel and and uh the the senior players Sheen carried on an initiative by new Broncos coach Wayne Bennett to Institute a youth Squad and many of the Raiders future stars came through this brigade unbeknown to me at the same time Ricky had just started there was Lazo Lori we're all just starting but we had to be mentored and taught how to win football games or what are the behaviors that can wi you the games at the top level attack was the name of the game the Raiders became the first team to score more than 400 points in a season in 1988 the following year CRA went on a late season winning streak and qualified for their second Grand Final in three years looking for the line the pass has bounced off to Bel try try the Bel and the Raiders is at a grand final B it was tough work just to get there there was a lot of games that went down to the wire the bomb bombed across the the go now up they go for it who's taking it it's loose picked up by Dy dy's given it out to Ferguson Ferguson goes for the line how can you believe this J Ferguson has scored alongside the post looking back that really helped us with that when the game went in into extra time I grabbed the football got the bucket of sand put the ball on the on the ground and just kicked it as quick as I possibly can we're going to have 10 minutes each way extra time that sun death football for week in and week out had us really well prepared for not just 80 minutes of footy picked it up chick George has got support to and they pull down just oh as he almost he Steve Jackson reached out and scored what will win the Premier ship for the Campa ravers that moment that Steve Jackson scores the try it still brings the hairs on the back of my neck up it it just a magical moment all our supporters who come here today all the supporters back in camera thanks very much the city grew a soul you know on that day it was an unbelievable moment unbelievable game you I think it created a backbone here for the camber riders in ' 89 was probably underestimated because people didn't realize how good Lori Darley and Ricky Stewart and Bradley cud all these all these kids were going to be in 1990 the Raiders moved from their original home at Queen be and coval into Cambra and a brand new new stadium located at the Australian Institute of sport at Bruce we just grew you know grew off the back of 89 Grand Final um again the team was really stable and you know was successful year it wasn't just us it was the whole club the whole club was successful you know the Jersey flag and 23s and a reserve grade you all made the final as well so it's it was a huge Club effort it's all over the Grand Final is over the Premiership has gone back to cam it's a club the rers it's not just first grade and that's how we still promote it today and these kids who are playing under 21s today they're coached and looked upon as our future in 1991 CRA had to do it the hard way again winning seven in a row to make their fourth Grand Final in 5 years Bradley C would get a double but this time penth turned the tables to take their first ever Premiership [Applause] get that's it I feel as though we had the talent in our team to certainly achieve some some great things and uh until halim in that game in 91 uh things were going according to plan he tried his heart out Clyde he was everywhere where the ball was in both attack and defense nothing wrong with coming second the this toughest competition in the world in 1992 the Raiders were hit hard by the salary cap and lost players of the caliber of Glenn Lazarus Brent Todd David Barnhill and Nigel gaffy we've had a lot of success over like that 5e period G we even go back to 87 so uh the game decided to bring in the celer cap and uh because of that and because of that ruling you know um it spread the club apart really we had to say goodbye to some Champions you there was and and David barill moved on and a whole host of others and I thought Tim and the club responded really quickly and and strongly with um sourcing Talent from different areas overall we talk about the three grades I think it's around just lost over 30 players from the system you know so it made it really difficult um but then you know being the innovator that he is you know well went looking to help build the club Tim Sheen and the recruitment team searched far and wide for Replacements and signed the likes of Shan hoppy Paul Osborne and Phil Blake old Raiders Chris O Sullivan Craig Bellamy and David Woods returned while youngsters Brett Mullins Jason kroer and Ken nagas would emerge David Grant he was Captain coach of the the site at the time for the kyogle turkeys that were Nas Nas goes over the halfway it was just about coming down for a trial he he linked me up with um with the development team at the time and um it was just sort of started from there at the age of 17 and 18 the year was a rebuilding one for CRA they missed the semi-finals for the first time since 1986 but in 1993 they rebounded strongly winning the pre-season challenge all these juniors are starting to pop their heads up you know the Brett Mullins the Jason kers the David fernus David Bole in particular so those sort of players uh started to pop their head up and become you know really good first grade players and then Tim went to New Zealand and it was the first coach to go watch the Pacific championships they had over there Pacific cup and brought back five players you from that you know Nuku and Quinton pongia Johnny LX Ruben Wiki in in '93 not too dissimilar to to this year it um blooded a a number of players that no one had ever heard of the Raiders were casting their net far and wide in the pursuit of another championship the Mak cup of the team has similarities to the way then player and now coach Ricky Stewart has set up the current camber side we've got so many areas that we recruit from you know our country areas um we've had a lot of success out of Brisbane we've had a lot of success out of New Zealand and now we've had so success out of England I love CRA you know it's um very quiet big like a big country town so yeah it really suits the person that I am wide head so simple so effective I really enjoyed being here in Cambra and you know obviously having a daughter now I think it's a great place for her to grow up and yeah I like it he kicked it Jamal fogy it's got obviously got the city in here but then for us we live on an outskirts in a nice small quiet suburb and there's there's no traffic no matter where you're going at you know 20 25 minutes I really like that where we live kangaroos on the side of the road in the nature strips there and 20-minute drive you got the city so you got the best of the Both Worlds we can come into town and have some nice food and Cafe the city life but then we can also put the kids on a push bike and go for a ride and get that nature connection as well it's uh a wonderful place for me to grow up in and I didn't understand why a lot of people didn't really have a favorable thing to say about it it was only because it was a government town and the politicians visited there at at different times Camp is a great place to live in people it gets a bit of a a rough Trot because people associate CRA with cold and politicians and public servants but it's bigger than that it's greater than that it's a great place to to live easy to get around facilities here are great right if you're you're young and you're you're starting a family people need to understand how good cber is it's a bit of a hid hidden gem in my mind malinga um still lives here in CRA and so many players who don't know much about CRA come to camra bring their families here have families here start their new families here so many of them stay here and all absolutely loved their time here so we know what we got and it's we cherish it it's it's important for us to cherish it because it's a um It's a Wonderful community in 1993 the Raiders were back to their best and on their way to a potential Grand Final against the mighty Brisbane Broncos but a cruel injury to Ricky Stewart curtailed their finals campaign well Bing quite well against param and he said to me mate why don't you come off and U I said no just give me another give me another 10 minutes two years ago we played West tigers in the last game that was for us to make the eight went to Jamal at half time I said right your you're sitting out the next 40 and he said I'll just give me a little bit more time I said no you're coming off and I'll tell you why later in 1994 the Raiders like the year before were on a roll during the regular season but this time their depth and experience were stronger they also had added motivation to reclaim their first Premiership since 1990 Captain maaninga announced his retirement at Year's end it was one of the greatest days at uh at uh Bruce Stadium having the having the kids at the back of the the dead bull line they couldn't fit them into this into the actual enclosed areas so they had to put them into the back of the field and that's what rugby league here and Sport here in cra does for the community again people just don't realize the passion and the and the love they have for the club you know it's it's brought them so much joy it's pretty amazing like seeing that sort of stuff and and so it should be because you know he done a lot of stuff with the club he was one of the first international players that they B down from Brisbane he done a lot for the community and to see um cam turn it on that day for him the big father deserved it the Raiders needed to beat the seagull at Manley in the final round to clinch a top three spot and avoid an elimination matchup against the defending Premier Brisbane Bridge with the Dropout men's went up high daily was on the end of it the siren sounds CRA have won CRA goes into the top three that's what stands out I think about the 94 season is just that uh the playoffs particularly the the north team in '94 I thought was was superb it was a forward pack that deserve a premise it Mo did well floro puts a kick out to the wing and it's been picked up by nes swooped upon it I'm not going to say it this time but I think he's going to score yes he does then we had to play can and it went to extra time there's 45 seconds left on the clock it comes across for Ricky Stewart he dummies and then Jinx and there's ferer ferer ferer get it away Wesley Wesley he puts it down back then if you went ex the time again we had to play midweek on a Tuesday so Tim said n just get a result whether we win or lose we come back in another week's time bag goes helan helan he gets the shot in I think it's there yes it is so we end up losing and then playing um North the week after again given the situation that led up to it oh more taken around the nose by LX he's gone he's on he sent him off North should have beat us Johnny being sent off fortunately for us Gary Lon got sent off lowmax was their Chief Carter upper and he was doing it very well all those yards up the middle there's a spear tackle down mallum ruling on this one as well he set him off lson is gone as soon as that tackle happened with Gary I I just mate you got even this up now he's got to go too and I had to put pressure on him because we were playing poor and they had a full steam all the momentum and we just couldn't get our game together that day against nor City and fortunately it got back to 124 and we kicked him into a bit of gear it gave us a bit of an Awakening that hang on SEC you know we're not as good as we we think we are you know sort a bit ahead of ourselves and because of that clunkiness it gave us an opportunity to reset again and we had a bit of a chat straight after the game and said listen if we're going to play like that you know we're going to lose the Grand Final Grand Final week came and for many of the Raiders players there was added motivation of a kangaroo tour occurring that year with the squad to be announced after the game to be picked in the the kangaroo tour it was something I had never done and I was really looking forward to foringa he had added motivation he would become the first person to go on four kangaroo tours as a player how many people get an opportunity to finish their careers in a grand final and N many get an opportunity to be part of a grand final and win it you know so we had a bit of a chat about listen I just wanted the players to prepare the best they could ever prepare and I'll do the same we knew it had all had to come to an end at some stage I I guess and that gave us a milestone to walk work towards to make sure that we sent Mel off as a champion that he deserved to be when you talk about preparation for a big match I felt that was the best that I've ever been involved with Coach Tim Sheen had pulled a master stroke naming ball playing prop Paul Osborne to replace suspended John LX and switching Wingers Ken nagas and Noah nandu we all said oh Ezra you know he's big hard young kid you know bringing through his raw ban he's a got a good little offload and he be right up to this and he said okay great that's good and he comes out he announces Aussie Jesus Christ we got big fat Aussie there's Osman he throws the dummy can he get the way yes there's a try that was Shin's call wasn't that call but in in reality you know that 23 minutes was what won US the Grand Final ah hband another great pass Nas Down The Left Flank even away a shot the gate Nas Nas he scores he always still tells me that he should have got car Churchill that year Aussie as it comes away from Clyde it's back to Stewart he goes with the reverse kick across looking for Nas and marer comes down for Nas Nas goes in Nas's second try up of Ricky Stewart bomb put the game in hand and then the retiring Captain delivered an iconic moment in his farewell appearance on Australian soil well never scored in a Grand Final in Brisbane South i' played in six grand finals never scored and played five grand finals with the Raiders but never scored it's intercepted by MinGa MCC pursues mcc's after m the crowd Roars the crowd Roars they Delight as the Australian Captain scores a try in the Grand Final thankfully for Jason Smith I got his best pass of the day probably that allowed me to allowed me to you know run just enough you I probably couldn't have gone much further but just enough to score that intercept try it was sort of for me was dicing of the cake cuz it was part of what I wanted to achieve the big Feller gets his own piece of the cake you couldn't have it any other way like it I think it was probably five to go intercept Palms off Jer cracking and schoes next to the post and then saring goes and then it's just like a fairy tale ending I mean I don't believe in fairy tales but that was pretty special the way it ended like that for him it's probably one of my favorite tries he's trying the gra on you can never paint the picture you want on how to retire but he got the best one it was meant to be wasn't it there was no doubt that Mal was going to score a try on that day it was just a matter of Kenra are the champions third time in their Short history 36-2 seven tries to two it felt as though we got back to where I thought we should be that belief and confidence I think was built from the foundation from those previous years and we had a number of experienced origin players a number of experienc in the Nationals I think uh with the the wealth of experience married with the the younger players coming through that were putting pressure on us to perform that culminated in a great footy being played every week week in and week out we had 13 players went on the field and we started on fire and you know we didn't take the foot off the off the throat so to speak the Raiders won the Grand Final and had seven members of their squads selected for what was to be the final ever kangaroo tour the emergence of Super League the following year coupled with the retirement of cra's leader maaninga saw the end of the dynasty that culminated in five grand final appearances and three premierships I think the platform the foundation was being built from around 87 definitely into 8990 and I reckon that the 94 team was probably at its greatest height of self-confidence and belief of once we cross that Seline we're going to win of all the teams I played in um cluband um I thought 94 talent wise and what they went on to lot of the players after that year was probably the best team I played in the lessons learned from that time is still practiced today as the Raiders strive to return to their former glory we're a one toown team we um we struggled to recruit the Marquee play we got to build our own I mean you you really look at the only really big signing we've ever had is melaner and what a s he was [Music] there's great hope in the region that this Glory can come again with one of their finest ever players Ricky Stewart leading the way and many others involved he's building a good young group at the moment you know it's going to take some time well it does connect the the the past with the the current but at the same time there's not too many people in the modern game with the same level of football knowledge and sticky seen the evolution of the game you and I feel as though if you buy into camera camera buys into you and there's no no greater example than a guy by the name of Jamal foggy your halfback he's an ambassador of Ronald McDonald House he does so much in the community he's just a really good person outside being a good footy player you know he's brought into the community and the community love him the best thing about sticky is so caring and genuine away from the football field everyone probably sees the Ricky sh on the sidelines blowing up or in the box or press conferences and all that kind of stuff but he always takes the time out to say hello to people at training anything in the people need he's the first man to put his hand up and I think that's probably why we get a whole lot of support back from the community because if your head coaches doing that us as players you know sticky can do it we can do it we can get out in the community um mix it up and say hello to people and whatnot and in return that they can do the same for us you know he's he's the right man to you know to take the the club under his wing and and um hopefully have a bit more success well I've always said you don't have to be you don't have to be born in camra to feel as though you belong here if you're professional you work hard you you actually respect the jumper um and cam will respect you and on other right as well