Stat To Fix: Raiders halves must offer more with boot

If you're a Canberra Raiders fan you don't need reminding that statistics don't lie.

Those in the nation's capital have been left scratching their heads over the past two seasons with the side's inability to close out games.

In 2018 alone, eight games involving Ricky Stuart's men were decided by a converted try or less.

The Raiders fared well in most statistical areas in 2018, another cause of frustration for Raiders fans.

Their ill-discipline though, particularly late in games, came under scrutiny at multiple stages throughout the year.

It is one of two areas identified by NRL.com that need fixing.

Canberra finished the regular season behind Penrith as the most penalised team in the competition with 9.4 conceded per game.

It's no secret that's where their core problem lies.

In comparison, the Panthers and Sharks weren't much better but were able to defend stoutly when it mattered to reach the finals. This came despite the Raiders scoring more points than both of those sides.

Another area of discussion at the Raiders involves the halves.

Canberra have lost Blake Austin to Warrington, while back-up utility Ata Hingano will miss six months with a shoulder injury. That leaves Aidan Sezer and Sam Williams to prove their worth in 2019.

Some of the last tackle options from the Green Machine in 2018 left a lot to be desired. The side's decision making, particularly with the game on the line, was heavily scrutinised.

The Raiders struggled with the boot last season to average 393.8 kick metres per game in 2018, ranked 15th. Only Manly fared worse.

An improvement in this area may not necessarily turn results around for the Raiders, but kicking out of trouble, or finding space more often, should help their ability to get out of their own half when under pressure.

Defending premiers the Sydney Roosters finished the season with 472.2 metres and Brisbane finished the regular season on top of that statistic with 545.7 kick metres per game. That's just over 150m a game more than Canberra.

Sezer, a notable left-foot kicker and the dominant playmaker in the side, averaged 311.4 kicking metres during his four-year stint at the Titans, but has slumped to 180.9 over the past three seasons at Canberra.

The top five kickers with the highest metre averages for 2018 included Mitchell Pearce (413.1 per game) Anthony Milford (364.1) Adam Reynolds (361.7) James Maloney (351.9) and Cooper Cronk (345.7).