The Raiders have laughed off suggestions of a rat in the ranks as hooker Tom Starling accused a reporter of going a bit too far ahead of their huge finals showdown with Brisbane on Sunday.
Mind games between the Raiders and Broncos have gone into overdrive this week, with the Courier Mail even reporting Brisbane was receiving inside information about the fitness of star prop Josh Papalii, who has been battling an ankle injury.
Asked about claims of an alleged ‘rat’ in the ranks in the nation’s capital, Raiders players brushed off the talk on Friday — although one exchange got a little tense.
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Photos reveal ‘Real’ Papalii injury | 03:11
“There’s no rats here .. that’s all just exterior noise . We’re a tight-knit group here, we don’t worry about all that stuff,” Starling said.
When the reporter responded: “Isn’t that exactly what a rat would say?” – drawing laughter from fellow reporters – Starling appeared a little insulted.
“You calling me a rat? …. That’s a bit too far mate,” he said.
Star backrower Hudson Young also laughed off the claims, but welcomed the banter on the eve of one of the club’s biggest ever matches.
“The mind games, that’s all part of it before finals and big games like that. Everyone’s got something to say,”Young said.
“Media, players, coaches .. it’s all part of it but at the end of the day there’s 17 blokes that take the field that will be fit and firing and ready to go.
“… It was a legit injury and hopefully Papa is ready to play because he’s a player that we need out there.”