BY DAN

The Canberra Raiders took a big step towards sewing up their future halfback when it was announced they’d signed Ethan Sanders for a two year deal from 2025.

We flagged this as a somewhat plausible outcome recently but let’s be frank we weren’t really getting excited. There had been word the Milk had been chasing Sanders for some time, and you may be aware of other dream-sequence recruitment chases in recent months that haven’t panned out. What’s more Canberra weren’t the only ones. The Sydney Morning Herald reported six teams had been chasing him, not the least Parramatta and Penrith. Both of the big-name teams were hampered by the fact they already have elite long term options. The Raiders offer a more obvious pathway to first grade and all that entails for Sanders.

The rumour around recently had been that Canberra had effectively chosen Sanders over Schneider, and I guess the timing of this announcement explains that. Watching the u/19s State of Origin last Thursday made it easy to understand why the Raiders put such weight in Sanders. He was the smartest player on the ground, a clear mind ahead of his years. He kicked to corners, he smartly set up attacking movements. He showed plenty of ball-playing ability, athleticism, and that he was willing and able to handle the defensive work despite being targeted as the Queenslanders tried to fatigue him into playing poorly. It didn’t work. He looked every bit the star he’s hyped to be.

It’s a brilliant outcome for the Milk’s recruitment team (Don Furner, Sticky, and presumably Joel Carbone). Sanders is not just a talent. He was *the* talent. You can read just how enamoured the closest eyes on Parramatta football were of him here. Like Chevy Stewart before him, he was arguably the most in-demand junior footballer around, and yet again the Raiders were successful in bringing him to town.

And that’s instructive. While they’ve yet to be successful in chasing stars-of-now like David Fifita, when you consider this signing, Stewart, the acquisition of Ethan Strange from the Roosters, and last year’s deal with Hohepa Puru, it’s hard not to see a model of squad building emerging here. Get them before they’re stars, hopefully provide the space for them to fulfil their promise, and scream/happy-cry/sing the Green Machine on the concourse of Homebush in October 2028. There’s no question on the talent, only on the patience and efficacy of the development approach. Is…is this a plan? I need to lie down.

Now Sanders, Strange, Stewart, Trevilyan and Puru combine like a potential Voltron. That is not just a good crop of youngsters, but what could genuinely be an elite spine should talent and potential become outcomes and reality. Add to that the other young talent the club has and it’s hard to not get carried away. Here’s where I write the obligatory bit about not projecting talent as certainty, not in the least of Canberra keeping them all in the same team. But that’s for another day. Tonight we feast and drink in the halls of Valhalla, because there’s not just hope. There’s a legitimate possibility the Raiders could be building something to be *really* excited about (and not just anxious).

Sanders may come earlier and if it can be arranged the Raiders should grab it with both hands. There’s no Wighton in his way. Jamal Fogarty is the exact kind of old-head you want mentoring a young half. They could happily play together, or Sanders may spend more time in Cup footy while his body develops. Indeed, the more time that Stewart, Sanders, Strange, Puru and Trevilyan spend playing together, the better. This may not be a next year thing (particularly if you read how much effort NSW Cup Coach Justin Giteau was putting in to keeping expectations in this solar system recently), but it’s coming. And it could be special.

And Ethan Sanders will be a big part of it.

Shouts to my dude Rukshan on twitter for giving me the heads up, as well as the Cumberland Throw (the home of the best Eels takes you can read). Do me a favour and like the page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter  (or Threads!), or share this on social media because Bruce is the coldest place in heaven. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.