We love the mighty Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders legend Mick Tilse, aged 67, passed away after a long illness.
The Canberra Raiders have lost another legend of the club, Mick Tilse.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that Tilse, Raider No.16, had died Monday night following a long illness, aged 67.
It was just one day after the death of another Raiders great, the "one-of-a-kind", Sam Backo.
Five weeks remain in the NRL season, with finals positions still uncertain and competitive.
There are just five weeks remaining in the NRL regular season, but nothing about the finals picture is set in stone.
Canberra, Melbourne and Canterbury have looked to be a level above the rest of the competition for a large majority of the year, but all three sides have found themselves on shaky ground at least once in recent weeks.
The biggest movers have been Penrith, who were on the bottom of the ladder early in the season but are now within striking distance of the top-four.
Sam Backo uniquely approached the Raiders, ready to play first grade despite not being signed.
Sam Backo was cut from a different cloth than the average NRL player.
Legend has it that in 1983, Sam Backo walked into the Queanbeyan Leagues Club office of Don Furner, the Canberra Raiders coach at the time, and said he was ready to play first grade.
The Raiders hadn't signed Sam, but he had been on their radar since 1981.
As then secretary manager John McIntyre remembers, Sam was playing for the Valley Statesmen in the local second division as a teenager after coming back to Canberra from North Queensland.