After cringing his way through “dramality” TV show The Shire, Canberra forward Joel Thompson says he’s keen to continue the embarrassment for Cronulla in their must-win NRL clash on Sunday.
With both teams desperate for points in the race to the finals, Thompson said it’s the Raiders who have more to prove after last week’s dismal 38-26 defeat to Gold Coast in Canberra, with three late tries flattering the home side.
It was a disappointing way to arrest Canberra’s momentum after back-to-back wins against St George Illawarra and ladder leaders Melbourne that had the Raiders thinking again about the finals.
The up-and-down Raiders have been plagued by injuries again this season, but Thompson says the playing group are still working hard to make the cut after getting a taste of finals action in 2010.
“We’re definitely a top-eight side,” he said on Thursday.
“We just need to get that persistency and get those performances like we had against the Dragons and the Storm.
“We know we have to muster some muscle this weekend.”
The Sharks are the bookies’ favourite to win at home to shoot back into the top four, although they might still be vulnerable with Paul Gallen (knee and groin) definitely out and Jeremy Smith (knee) fighting to be declared fit.
Thompson believes his side will need to be on high alert in defence with the Sharks boasting a host of potent attacking options.
“Defence is going to be big for us in this game with Toddy (Carney) and a few other players they’ve got there,” he said.
“It’s important that we not get ahead of ourselves and that one to 17 across the paddock turn up and play for each other.”
With five-eighth Josh McCrone this week admitting the playing squad was in need of an “attitude adjustment”, Thompson agreed it was up to the players, not embattled Raiders coach David Furner, to turn things around with more wins.
Furner has pored through his coaching bag of tricks to turn around the club’s fortunes, highlighted by their unprecedented week-long training camp on the NSW central coast in the lead-up to their round-14 victory over Newcastle.
“It doesn’t matter what Furnsey does,” Thompson said.
“It does help a bit … (but) at the end of the day, it’s up to us players to get out there and perform.”
Josh Dugan could be a welcome late addition for Canberra if he can make it through training this week after suffering an ankle injury a month ago, with halfback Sam Williams or fullback Reece Robinson likely to make way if he returns.
With or without Dugan, Thompson is keen to leave the Cronulla players red-faced after sitting through new TV show The Shire, which follows the lives of a number of Sutherland locals.
“I thought it was the worst show ever to hit TV,” said Thompson.
“Hopefully, we can top it off with some more embarrassment.”
