Will the Raiders sustain their excellent 2019 form?

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Canberra Raiders will be aiming to go one better than last season in their bid to win the NRL Grand Final for the first time since its formation in 1998. The Raiders have three Winfield Cups to their name, but since the new league was formed over 20 years ago the capital club have been starved of success.

Ricky Stuart's men were unfortunate to lose to the Sydney Roosters in the Grand Final last term. Sam Verrills scored one of the most controversial tries in the history of the contest, which came after a kick struck the Roosters' physio and the referee Ben Cummins awarded a scrum. Sydney capitalised on their advantageous position to cross the try line.

Luck was on their side once more in the second half to ice the contest when the official made another bold call, overturning his initial decision to award the Raiders another set of six tackles within sight of the Sydney line. The Roosters took the initiative once more as James Tedesco notched the decisive score. Time can heal all wounds, although it remains to be seen in the case of the Raiders. The Grand Final was Canberra's first since the league was rebranded as the NRL, and it will take a major effort for Stuart and his men to return, being backed in the rugby league betting odds at 6/1 to win their first major crown since 1994.

Canberra did lose halfback Aidan Sezer in the off-season, with the 28-year-old moving to the Super League to ply his trade for the Huddersfield Giants. Sezer was a key player in his four seasons at the club, and has already made an impact for the Giants after being named their skipper. George Williams has been brought in to replace Sezer.

The England international should not be fazed by the switch from the Super League to the NRL, boasting 183 appearances for Wigan Warriors during a seven-season spell. Williams will be under pressure to perform to ensure that the Raiders do not see a decline in production at the halfback position, but he has the pedigree to enhance his reputation with a stellar debut term.

Jack Wighton was outstanding in the 2019 season and he will be desperate to maintain the standard of his performances. He took significant strides forward in his all-round game, although there is still room for improvement as he approaches the prime years of his career at the age of 27. He will be the foundation that Stuart builds his side around for a potential charge towards the crown. Wighton's form could dictate whether the Raiders are one-hit wonders or perennial contenders.

Curtis Scott was seen a quality signing by the Raiders following his release by the Melbourne Storm. The 22-year-old was a productive try-scorer for the Storm, notching 18 tries in 48 appearances. However, off-the-field antics have threatened to delay his Canberra career. It's not the tone Stuart will want to set for the campaign as he looks to keep his team on course for another strong season. Keeping Scott on the straight and narrow will be vital as well as sending an important message to the rest of the team that only their best will see them return to the Grand Final.