![Brad Rauter has starred for the Tigers this year. Picture by Keegan Carroll Brad Rauter has starred for the Tigers this year. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/51135fdf-9bfd-4294-9cf2-a0fdef3e8dff.jpg/r0_363_5266_3335_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
From primary school gala day to first grade grand final, Queanbeyan Tigers' Brad Rauter has enjoyed an incredible journey already as he chases an AFL goal.
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The next step will be trying to win another AFL Canberra premiership, when the Tigers star runs out against the Belconnen Magpies aiming to help his club secure its third premiership in seven years.
Rauter has been added to the GWS Giants Academy program and has been pivotal for the Tigers playiong out of the back line this season.
But credits his involvement with the Giants pathway system over the past eight seasons and his four games of VFL experience for his performances in 2022.
Coming from a rugby league family, he says he found AFL as a social sport to begin with but it has turned into a potential career having faced some of the top sides in the VFL competition.
"It's been an amazing experience playing VFL and you just get unbelievable knowledge from the older players in the side," Rauter said.
"AFL was just more of social thing for me. I got into it through a primary school gala day and I just loved it and have never stopped."
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Queanbeyan Tigers co-coach Kade Klemke says it has been great having Rauter in the squad and praised him for the energy he's brought to the side. However, Klemke is focused on the main coaching cliché - everyone playing their roles.
They've been doing that all season to record 15 wins from 16 games and he believes because of that the pressure of this match lays on Belconnen's shoulders.
"Usually the top side feels like the pressures on them since they've set a standard but Belconnen haven't won a flag in a long time," Klemke said.
"We won in 2020 and we know how to do it again so I feel like all of the pressure is one them."
Belconnen Magpies captain-coach James Bennett however has faith his side can knock off the reigning premiers even though they fell short last time they met a fortnight ago.
Bennett is searching for his third AFL Canberra premiership on Saturday which is something fellow Magpies legends David and Lexie Bennett never achieved.
Last week he admitted he wouldn't be able to catch up to both of them who sit above him on the list of most games played for Belconnen but that allusive third flag would be something he could brag about.
However, he was humble on Thursday morning saying winning the premiership would be a great reward for the hard working people around the club.
"Honestly it would mean so much to bring some success to all of the people who work so hard for our footy club," Bennett said.
"I'd get as much satisfaction out of doing that then I would from winning it for myself."
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