The Raiders are enjoying their home away from home - even for home matches 
THIS is the $95-a-night hotel tucked just off the Federal Highway on the outskirts of Canberra where the Raiders have resurrected their season.
Whereas other NRL sides stay at Coogee's luxurious $265-a-night Crowne Plaza for away games in Sydney, the Raiders have recently been checking into the nondescript Rydges Hotel at Eagle Hawk for home matches.
Forget the plush trappings of five-star opulence, the Green Machine's more moderate headquarters boasts small rooms, no views and the Federal Highway humming in the background.
"It's not a flash place but it's not a complete dump either," ex-Raiders captain Simon Woolford explained.
"It's definitely done the trick. Dave Furner couldn't understand why we couldn't win at home yet we were winning away. So he made the call to go into camp for home games, the same as we do when we're on the road, and it's worked unbelievable."
After winning only three from nine games at home before Furner hatched the plan, the Raiders have now gone three from three at Canberra Stadium.
After victories over Brisbane, the Roosters and Bulldogs in the past month, the Raiders need to beat the Warriors in New Zealand today to guarantee a top-eight finish.
This was a team hardly any experts rated a hope of making the top eight in March, when star five-eighth Terry Campese was expected to spearhead their campaign.
"Two months ago, we were just worried about trying to put one good performance together after the way we'd started the season," Raiders five-eighth Josh McCrone said. "Now we've won seven of our last nine games and we're in with a shot at making the semis.
"The biggest thing now is we can't afford to get ahead of ourselves. The Warriors game is definitely a danger game. It all means nothing if we don't get the job done over there."
Canberra's lucky streak of staying at their Eagle Hawk home base could continue into the finals should North Queensland beat Cronulla at Toyota Stadium today.
If that scenario plays out, the sixth-placed Raiders would be expected to host the seventh-placed Sharks in a sudden-death semi-final.
Written off as wooden-spoon contenders halfway through the season with only four wins from 12 games, the Raiders can become the fairytale team of the finals.
Fighting to save his job six weeks ago, Furner has used a number of motivational ploys to lift his side.
A week-long camp in Swansea leading into the Round 14 Newcastle game was another hit idea, as was the dressing-room collage of family members who have inspired the Raiders playing group.
All have yielded dividends, with the Raiders winning eight from 11 in the back half of the season as the likes of captain David Shillington and five-eighth McCrone have led the team by example.
Suddenly, Furner's deal until the end of 2014 has never looked safer.
Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/the-raiders-are-enjoying-their-home-away-from-home-even-for-home-matches/story-fnbho4yp-1226463061599
Topic: Raiders Home Away From Home Revealed
