The figures are set to infuriate even the calmest of Canberra fans.
Data shows the under-achieving Raiders are performing almost as well now in first halves as they did when they made the 2019 grand final and 2020 preliminary.
A study of Canberra half-time scores shows the Raiders are still either leading or level at the break in 56 per cent of matches in 2021 and 2022.
Yet they have won just 12 of 32 games in that time at a strike rate of 37.5 per cent, finishing 10th last year and currently stuck in 14th on the ladder this season.
It is a similar halftime success rate of 62 per cent in 2019 and 2020, but the Raiders managed to win 66 per cent of their games then to feature in the final four.
The issues are also highlighted on the scoreboard, where no team has given up more double-figure leads than the Raiders during that time.
On average in the past two years, Canberra have gone to the sheds with a one-point lead.
But in the second halves of games they have collapsed, conceding an average of 14 points and scoring just eight.
Those figures are in direct contrast to the numbers from 2019 and 2020.
Known as one of the fittest teams in the league in those two seasons, the Raiders went to the break with an average scoreline of 11-8, before their form after halftime.
Hence Canberra have earned the nickname of the Faiders, dropping half-time leads to be beaten 10 times since the start of 2021 while only coming from behind twice at the break.
Ahead of Friday evening’s battle with Canterbury, where each team will look to improve a 2-6 record, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said skill-level rather than effort was hurting his side.
“It’s frustrating times and last weekend didn’t help that,” he said.
“The effort is there from the players … we’ve got to polish up a few parts of our game but you can’t do that if you haven’t got effort.
“It made it very hard for me as a coach last week to see how much it hurt all of us … it’s hard to get over those losses when it’s taken away from you the way it was with some really poor bunker decisions.”
With Friday’s Canberra’s ‘Forever Green’ match, where past players and coaches are invited back to the club, Stuart called on his players to take inspiration from how the club had battled through tough periods before.
“We’re going through some hard times at the moment and you remember those hard times … we support our mates and the camaraderie among us will pull us out of tough times, that’s what we’re banking on,” he said.
“Whether it’s tomorrow night or the week after, it’s just a matter of sticking together and working hard towards what we need to do.”
NUMBERS THAT HIGHLIGHT CANBERRA’S FADES:
2019-20
- Average first-half score: 11-8
- Average second-half score: 10-7
- Games lost leading at halftime: 6
- Games won trailing at halftime: 8
2021-22
- Average first-half score: 11
- Average second-half score 10:
- Games lost leading at halftime: 8
- Games won trailing at halftime: 2
