KEY POINTS:
When the NRL kicked off in 2007 there were two major unknowns - the Titans, who were joining the competition and Neil Henry, who picked up the job as head coach at the Raiders.
"Henry Who?" was an often-asked question.
The brand new Titans and the rebuilding Raiders,
with their coach from nowhere, were supposed to fight it out for the wooden spoon, according to most pundits.
The Titans at least had some big names. The Raiders were a bunch of nobodies.
With three games to go both have respectable win/loss records of nine/12 and eight/13 and both have been in the running for the playoffs throughout the season.
The Raiders have turned around the careers of three of league's bad boys.
Backrower Neville Costigan was picked up after the Broncos threw him out for late-night partying and this year made the Queensland State of Origin side.
Prop Dane Tilse was cut from Newcastle at the start of the 2005 season after a drunken rampage through a female students' dorm during pre-season. And their own Todd Carney was dropped from first grade after he breached a driving ban and fled from police.
"We've had our issues off the field, as most clubs do," Henry says.
There were a number of reasons how and why players turned their fortunes around: the shock of getting themselves in trouble, the knowledge they are on second or last-chance, a change of environment and realising they didn't want to let down family, friends, themselves and their teammates.
"Dane Tilse has been one of our most consistent forwards this year," Henry says. He and Costigan had "knuckled down and enjoyed it in Canberra".
In the past two years the Raiders have bought former Dragons and Sharks players Colin Best and Matt Bickerstaff, Christchurch-born Glen Turner from the Storm and Andrew Dunnemann and Scott Logan who returned from stints overseas. All journeymen. There are players who have been at Canberra since Ruben Wiki's time, including Lincoln Withers and Trevor Thurling plus captain Alan Tongue. They've not been made a better offer.
Around them are a bunch of talented local juniors including Carney, former Wallaby David Campese's nephew Terry at five-eighth and William Zillman at fullback.
That's where the future lies for the Raiders but right now there is too much inexperience, Henry says. "It's a young squad, still learning."
They could not cope with the week-in, week-out intensity yet so he had to make individual changes at times when stability would have helped the team.
"Our halves in particular are lacking experience. Carney missed six weeks [with the driving incident], Michael Dobson is right up to standard and he's got one of the longest kicks around but he needs a rest this weekend, Terry [Campese] has come back strongly after a run in premier league."
He's been pleased with their attack. "We've been able to score points, all bar last weekend [a 52-4 loss to the Bulldogs], but our defence has been very poor at times. That's inexperience again."
Henry played for the Raiders from their inaugural year in 1982 to 1984 and was the club's Jersey Flegg (under-18s) coach before shifting to Townsville under Graham Murray.
Having had a focus on developing young talent, he's excited about the future at Canberra where he is signed to 2009.
"Bring a couple of players in, get a better run with injuries and with the experience these blokes have gained this year - I'd expect us to improve next season. There's potential here, there's good kids coming through in the lower grades."
The Raiders have built a reputation as tough in Canberra - it's away where they struggle.
"It's disappointing we've only been able to win two away, that's down to the young squad again."
Henry has been assistant coach to Mal Meninga with Queensland for the past two series wins and word on the sidelines has it that Henry does the coaching while Mal does the media and management. Clearly his work at the Raiders is having an effect.
"We've got work to do to finish this season off right and everyone knows it," he says.
He's signed on to join Meninga again for next year's Origin series.
"I enjoy it, it's good working with the top players and getting to know them, there's coaching benefit for the Raiders."
And, he hopes, he might attract some top-liners to the club - "that's what happens when you have successful campaigns".
Success breeds success.
NEIL HENRY
Born: January 23, 1961
Foundation player for Raiders 1982-84
Coached Raiders Jersey Flegg team 2001-02
Cowboys assistant 2003-06
Queensland State of Origin assistant 2006-07
Appointed Raiders head coach 2007-09
