Canberra Raiders' NRL finals charge buoyed by drummer

He was born in Lebanon, but Mr Tayoun has bled lime green since his brother-in-law took him to his first NRL game way back in 1987.

Now the Sydneysider travels to almost every Raiders game, with a holiday in Tasmania and a niece's first communion meaning he's missed just three games this year.

Mr Tayoun revealed a conversation with Canberra's coach after the Raiders' final game in 2018 was proving prophetic as the Green Machine returned to the finals for the first time since 2016.

They've finished in the top four and a victory over minor premiers Melbourne Storm in Melbourne on Saturday will earn the Raiders a home preliminary final in two weeks.

But it's meant he's been working flat out this week to ensure he can get to Victoria for the qualifying final - starting at 5am every day and working through to 6.30pm to make up the time.

"I was in Auckland last game [last year]. We lost [to the New Zealand Warriors] and I smashed my drum hard and I damaged it and the skin was gone," Mr Tayoun said.

"Anyhow after the game, we lost, and I was waiting for the players and I saw Ricky and I told him, 'Don't worry, we love you, you lose, you win, we're always there for you'.

"He said, 'I wish every supporter was like you, but next year I promise you I'm going to take the team to the semi-finals'. And look, he did it."

MORE RAIDERS NEWS

The first game Mr Tayoun went to was South Sydney against Canberra and with his brother-in-law a Rabbitohs fan he decided to create some family rivalry.

Thirty-two years later and he's as fanatical about the Green Machine as they get.

The past decade especially so as he now rarely misses a game.

He has a deal with his wife - if the football's on, it's his weekend. When there's no football, it's hers.

Mr Tayoun noticed a Canterbury supporter with a drum and given one of his mates is a drum maker it was an easy next step.

Plus the drum doubles as the perfect way to collect signatures of all the Green Machine players.

It led to the club giving him the call-up to lead the now fabled Viking clap at Canberra Stadium last weekend.

Mr Tayoun was like a Cheshire cat. Well, one covered with tears of joy.

"I can't tell you. It was the best experience I ever had in my life," he said.

"I can remember this until I die. When I did it, I'll be honest with you, all I wanted to do was cry that's how happy I am."

Now, he just wants to convince the Raiders to let him make his dream come true.

Mr Tayoun wants to bang the drum in the sheds when the team's singing the song after a win.

Maybe next year.

"Every time I see [Raiders chief executive] Don Furner and [marketing manager] Jason Mathie I tell them, 'Look I'd like to, if one day maybe we win, I'd like to take the drum inside the shed'," he said.

"They said it will be too noisy. All they do is bang the esky or the door. I'd like to bang the drum.

"I reckon it will happen. Not now, but I hope next year."

NRL QUALIFYING FINAL

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Melbourne, 5.40pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker (c), 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson (c), 10. Sia Soliola, 11. John Bateman, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Joe Tapine. Interchange: 14. Bailey Simonsson, 15. Dunamis Lui, 16. Corey Horsburgh, 17. Ryan Sutton. Reserves: 19. Emre Guler, 20. Siliva Havili.

Storm squad: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen, 2. Suliasi Vunivalu, 3. Will Chambers, 4. Justin Olam, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Kenneath Bromwich, 13. Dale Finucane. Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith, 15. Tui Kamikamica, 16. Max King,17. Joe Stimson. Reserves: 18. Curtis Scott, 19. Tino Faasuamaleaui.