Shaun Fensom has long been regarded as a defensive powerhouse for the Raiders, but hard work over the off-season working with the Raiders Coaching staff has helped him develop into one of the most dynamic forwards in the Raiders pack.
After missing the back end of the 2014 season with an ACL injury to his knee many expected Fensom to appear somewhere in the mid-part of the 2015 season, but his diligence to his rehab and his strong work ethic allowed him to return early for the clubs round one win over the Sharks.
It was an effort that typified his role within the team, as he went on to play 23 matches in the season, missing just one match all year. Ricky Stuart used Fensom wisely throughout the year, giving his workhorse opportunities to get some much needed breaks in games early in the season, as he built his way to some 80 minute performances in the back end of the year.
Fensom’s 25 offloads during the season showed his ability to create second phase play for the team, while he averaged over 110m per game with the ball in hand. The best part about his attacking play was it didn’t seem to affect his defensive prowess, as he still managed to average a staggering 44 tackles per game as he racked up over 1000 for the season.
His leadership qualities and work ethic continue to rub off on his team mates and coaching staff, making him an extremely valuable member of the Raiders squad as they get set to embark on the 2016 campaign.
Memorable Moment
The Raiders had gotten themselves into a hole at 26-4 as they approached halftime in their round 11 home match against the Bulldogs, and with just over six minutes remaining in the first half they needed something special to begin any hope of a revival.
Kurt Baptiste went own the short side to Jarrod Croker on the last play, with the Raiders skipper forced into a ‘Hail Mary’ kick back infield as Bulldogs five-eighth Josh Reynolds came in to make the tackle. The ever reliable Fensom was backing up on the inside and managed to regain the ball over the line to score a valuable try.
The Raiders would eventually get the game back on level terms, before a late Reynolds field goal snatched away what would have been a memorable come from behind victory.
Statistics:
Matches |
Runs |
Metres |
Tackles |
Tries |
Try Assists |
Tackle Breaks |
Offloads |
Line Breaks |
23 |
308 |
2629 |
1024 |
3 |
0 |
16 |
25 |
1 |
