It's been one thing after another for Raiders coach Ricky Stuart. Image: Brendon Thorne/AAP

Rugby League

Raiders recovering after hellish 14-hour trip to Brisbane

by David Riccio, chief sports writer

11th May 2019 5:47 PM
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IT WOULD'VE been quicker if Ricky Stuart had driven the team bus from Canberra.

The Raiders' preparation for Sunday's clash with premiers the Sydney Roosters has developed into the greatest test of their resolve after a nightmare 14-hour journey to Brisbane.

In a farcical and unimaginable case of horrible luck, the Raiders players were forced to fly from Canberra via Melbourne, where they were split up, arriving for the Magic Round in Brisbane without any gear or bags.

The normal one hour and 40-minute flight took the players seven hours after they were forced to sit on the tarmac of Canberra and Melbourne's runways.

However, the players got off lightly.

After being told to disembark with his players in Canberra, Stuart and his entire coaching staff flew with the team on a redirected flight to Melbourne.

Without enough seats to join the players on either of two separate flights available to Brisbane, the staff remained stranded at Tullamarine.

Raiders rookie Corey Horsburgh drew the short straw and also stayed back with the coaching staff.

For more than three hours the brains trust of the Green Machine sat at Melbourne airport, watching Friday's two NRL matches on their laptops.

After arriving in Melbourne at 3.15pm, Stuart and his staff and Horsburgh boarded a 10.30pm flight.

The Raiders may be feeling a little jaded. Picture: Alix Sweeney

When they arrived in Brisbane close to midnight, they then needed to fill the team bus with more than 60 pieces of luggage, including the players bags, gear, training equipment and medical supplies.

The staff checked into Brisbane's Novotel hotel at 1.30am on Friday.

As a result of the travel failures, the Raiders were forced to cancel a team dinner and reschedule a members' signing session in Brisbane.

And if that wasn't enough, ASADA officers arrived for drug testing of Raiders players at 7.30am prior to their 10am captain's run on Saturday.