After a
controversial end to their 2019 campaign, the Raider's will be looking to 2020
as a season for redemption as they aim for a premiership win. Yet at the end of
the season, the biggest issue for the Raiders was their lack of use pf a home
ground advantage.
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| Picture Above: GIO Stadium in its former green glory (Source: Canberra Times) |
What was once ranked
one of the league's toughest away game trips for clubs, in 2019 GIO Stadium was
not the Green Machine Fortress it once was.
At the end of the
season the Raiders walked away with an equal six wins and six losses at GIO,
making them the only team not to boast a positive record in their home game
results.
In comparison, in
2018 the Raiders had a 7-5 record at GIO Stadium, despite missing Finals and
losing 5 more games overall.
In 2019, Canberra
averaged 18.7 points at home, averaging less than the competition home rate of
21.4 points, whilst averaging 25 points at away games, well above the league
average of 18.1.
Prior to beating the
Rabbitohs at GIO in the preliminary finals, the Raiders had lost their previous
three away games, seemingly suggesting the home advantage was no more for the
once almighty Green Machine.
Most other teams who
reached the finals had a strong run at home games, with Premiers the Roosters,
as well as the Storm and Eels all boasting 9-3 records at home.
If Ricky Stuart's
men can go into 2020 rebuilding the Green Fortress that is GIO Stadium to all
its former glory, a strong home run, alongside maintaining their forceful games
on the road, could be vital in pushing the Raiders to a top of the table finish.
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