The Raiders bowed out of the 2023 season in dramatic fashion and would have spent time in the off-season pondering what could have been after losing in extra time against the Newcastle Knights in the first week of the finals.
The fact they were in the finals was an achievement in itself, having scored the fewest tries of any team in the competition, bar the 15th placed Bulldogs and wooden spooners Wests Tigers, with their 13 wins across the season just enough to negate their -137 points differential.
This season, the Raiders have lost some of their most experienced names, with favourite son Jarrod Croker retiring and Jack Wighton heading to the Rabbitohs, taking with them more that 550 games of NRL experience. Both also played with the club for over a decade.