'Unorthodox' Bateman unlocks Green Machine's attack

An 'acute back injury' kept Ricky Stuart from attending Saturday night's post-match press conference but Raiders assistant Andrew McFadden said John Bateman was key to the side's attack leading into the crunch period of the year.

The Raiders were ranked 11th and averaging just 17.9 points in attack per game leading into round 14, while they hadn't topped 30 points in a match since August last year.

Their six-try haul against the Broncos resulted in a resounding 36-8 win - five of the tries coming in a burst between the 45th and 65th minute.

Bateman, in his third game back since shoulder surgery, started the 20-minute onslaught when he got past Brodie Croft in a typical uncanny style – the Englishman then finding countryman George Williams.

He then returned serve to finish off a Williams cross-field kick and cement the result.

"John's certainly brought a different dynamic to us, he gives us a real edge," McFadden said.

"He doesn't play like most other players in the NRL. He's awkward, he's unorthodox but he's very effective. He creates stuff and he makes people around him a lot better.

"We've probably been building the last few weeks, we haven't really hit our straps with our attack.

"It was nice to see some guys in space tonight. The more he plays, the better their combinations will get."

At the other end of the paddock there are no such concerns for the Raiders' defence.

Their ability to hold out several Broncos raids in attack with a 60% possession rate against them in the first half became crucial to the win.

"Our whole performance was built on that first-half defensive display," McFadden said.

"To only hold them to a few tries and come out in the second half was excellent."

Despite the win, McFadden raised further concerns around the treatment of Jack Wighton after the Raiders five-eighth kicks the ball.

Stuart raised the topic earlier in the season around the opposition targeting Wighton in his run-through post kick.

"I know it's definitely been brought up [with Graham Annesley]," McFadden said.

"I guess the feedback is that 'we're onto it', but every week Jack gets taken off the ball and nothing really happens.

"It's clearly a tactic of opposition teams because he is such a great kick-chaser and we'd like something done about it, to be honest with you."

On a lighter note, McFadden made fun of Stuart's back issue, which saw him absent at his usual chair on the GIO Stadium sidelines.

The Raiders coach is expected to be available for the trip to the Gold Coast next week.

"He's been bitching and moaning all week so thought I'd give him a bit of a break," McFadden grinned.