Tongue Out For Three Weeks

Raiders workhorse, Alan Tongue, has been ruled out for three weeks with a fractured hand. Tongue got up from a tackle against Souths clutching his hand but continued to play on despite the injury. Tongue joins the Monaghan brothers and Terry Martin on the Raiders casualty list with all players due back within the next four weeks.

The news is a blow for Tongue but it will be slightly tempered by the fact he has signed a new deal with the club that will keep him in Canberra until 2006.

Canberra will welcome back Jason Croker this week after he was rested against Souths last weekend. If Croker is unavailable, it is likely Ben Cross will be promoted into the first grade squad. Cross is a star in the making and had a mighty game against the Bulldogs two weeks ago and his form will see him taste first grade at some stage throughout the year.