2017 presents the perfect opportunity for the Canberra Raiders Premiership hopes to be fulfilled with the club in a great position to seize their first title in almost a quarter of a century.

It’s been a long time between drinks for the Green Machine who have had their fair share of tough times since their dominance in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

2016 A Missed Opportunity

Last year the Canberra Raiders emerged from nowhere to finish the season in 2nd position on the ladder. It was a massive effort and one that put them in the box seat to win the Premiership.

With a home final against the ailing Sharks, everyone expected the Raiders to walk into the Prelims with a week’s rest. But the Raiders got cocky and a Luke Lewis and Mick Ennis inspired Sharks team shocked the Green Machine on their home turf, causing one of the biggest upsets of the finals series.

Ennis made sure he let the Raiders fans know all about it by giving them a taste of their own “Viking Clap” medicine after the final whistle.

The loss left the Raiders with an uphill battle to make the Grand Final. One that proved to be too much when they were bundled out of the finals after a Prelim loss in Melbourne.

The Changes

The Raiders have made some significant changes to their squad for the 2017 season. As a result, they are looking very dangerous. The Raiders’ pack in particular is looking extremely formidable with the addition of Big Dave Taylor.

Tough session today. I'd hate to be a seagull near us today I was sucking in the big ones A post shared by dave taylor (@davetaylor091188) on Jan 22, 2017 at 10:29pm PST

Whilst the Coal Train’s career has had its fair share of great moments, you still feel he hasn’t quite lived up to his phenomenal potential. The alleged cocaine issues of 2015 and move to France left many thinking we’d never see him playing in the NRL again. But the Coal Train is back and he has plenty to prove.

Former St Helens star Jordan Turner will also be a great addition.

He will be keen to follow in the footsteps of fellow Englishmen Elliott Whitehead and Josh Hodgson. Both had a massive impact since leaving the Super League to join the Raiders. The pair, along with fellow Super League recruit Iosia Soliola, played a significant part in Canberra’s red hot form last season.

“It’s been a long standing dream of mine to play in the NRL. When Sia was at St Helens we got along really well. I spoke to him about Canberra and the team. He was very helpful in making my decision,” Turner said.

It’s Time for a Canberra Raiders Premiership

The Raiders have showed us that they will be a force to be reckoned with in 2017. They really have it all. A mean scary pack and a backline that can rack up the points at a frightening pace.

Blake Austin was electric in 2016. Until his season was interrupted with a hand injury, Austin was one of the stand-out attacking players in the comp. Halfback Aidan Sezer is another key to the Raiders’ title hopes. He and Austin really clicked for the Green Machine last season and we’re expecting Sezer to take it to another level in 2017.

The Opposition

One thing that works in the Canberra Raiders favour is the state of some of their toughest opponents last season. Their number one nemesis the Sharks have had plenty of off-season dramas and have lost some key personnel.

The Melbourne Storm also have a few small issues with some early injury concerns. It will be interesting to see how they fare without the explosiveness of code-switcher Marika Koroibete and whether Billy can still make an impact.

Everything seems to be falling in place perfectly for a Canberra Raiders Premiership in 2017. They have the destructive scoring power and the formidable pack that will make them a nightmare to deal with. It’s early but I’m calling it, 2017 will be the year of the Green Machine.

by Michael T. Lynch – contributor