Canberra legend Brad Clyde is in the NRL Hall of Fame, he's largely considered one of, if not the greatest lock of all-time and he remains one of rugby league's most astute judges - basically, when he talks, you listen.
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He's got massive raps on Orange product Jack Wighton too, and he's boldly predicted big things for the 26-year-old in Sunday's grand final showdown with the Roosters.
At The Big Sports Breakfast's Grand Final Lunch on Wednesday Clyde - a veteran of 214 NRL appearances, 12 for NSW and 19 for Australia - confidently predicted the Raiders to win by 10 and Wighton to pick up the Clive Churchill Medal.
I think he's improved out of sight ... his running game has been incredible.
- Canberra legend Brad Clyde, on Jack Wighton
Clyde knows something about both too. He won two premierships with the Raiders, made another grand final appearance for the club as well, and he has two Clive Churchill Medals on his own.
One came in Canberra's 1989 grand final win over Balmain and the other in the Raiders' decider defeat to Penrith in 1991, he's one of just three players in history to win the award from a losing side.
"[Wighton's] had an outstanding season," Clyde said on the Big Sports Breakfast on Thursday morning.
"Being [shifted] into [five-eighth], he's got the responsibility of creating space for his outside backs and offering direction for the team.
"I think he's improved out of sight (and) he's offered some direction for the team but I think his running game has been incredible.
"We saw some of it through the State of Origin (series, where Wighton played centre) and I think that experience for him was tremendous, and built and strengthened his confidence to take his game to another level."
This Raiders side actually brings back memories of the '89 outfit for Clyde, they were considered rank outsiders in terms of the premiership after finishing the regular season in fourth.
In what has oft been described as the greatest grand final Clyde's Raiders back from 12-2 down to beat a red-hot Balmain side by five points.
In doing so they became the first team based outside of Sydney to win the title, the first to do so from outside the top three and the first to win a grand final in extra-time.
Wighton's 2019 Raiders are at similarly long odds to down the Roosters, in fact they're considered one of the biggest grand final outsiders in decades.
"I do liken it to the 1989 grand final," Clyde, who that year's Clive Churchill Medal as a 19-year-old, said.
"The Raiders have a similarly well-balanced side and they're a bit of a team of unknowns going in to play the favourites. I'm looking forward to the contest, I just hope the similarities don't end there, I hope it eventuates (the same way as 1989)."
Along with Wighton, Clyde pointed to Canberra's boom English recruit John Bateman and in-form prop Josh Papalii as linchpins.
"As opposed to other years they really tightened up their defence in the middle and ... I think one of the key [reasons for that] that is probably the introduction John Bateman to the team," Clyde said.
"I won't give all the credit to him. His countryman Whitehead along with and Papalli have been outstanding, and all the players (coach) Ricky (Stuart) has rolled into the forward pack throughout the year have given great service."
Sunday's grand final kicks off at 7.30pm at ANZ Stadium.
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
