BY DAN

For a few moments there was a little bit of sun peaking through the blinds at Raiders HQ. Rumours had emerged (and been reported on) that Lachlan Lam was coming home to Australia and the Milk were at the front of the line.

Just as quickly they were dashed. The always excellent David Polkinghorne went one step further than the other paid journalists and actually spoke to the Raiders about it, who told him they weren’t chasing him. My spidey-senses think that might be a negotiating tactic; a refusal to pay astronomical transfer fees (again) for players that might not stick around. But for now we must take them at face value. Lam isn’t on the menu (eh, not my finest).

It raises an interesting question. The Raiders are likely active in the free-agency market. They have the cap space to be so. But as yet the noise has been limited. It’s early days in the process but it has been curious to see Canberra retain their cards close to their chest all year, waiting, waiting, waiting. Do they know something we don’t? Are they waiting for things to shake out elsewhere? I’d love to know what the plan is.

As we’ve noted recently the Raiders don’t have a lot of contract space left. 27 of their 30 positions are taken up, and with Hohepa Puru in negotiations, a spot likely being held to allow Ethan Sanders to come to town, whomever they sign soon will be it. So Canberra can’t afford to get it half right. They unfortunately need a half, to support Ethan Strange’s likely bumpy development pathway (please remember he’s 18) and provide coverage if Jamal Fogarty isn’t healthy (not that i’m suggesting he isn’t, just in the eventuation something like that happens). They also need an backrower, because Elliott Whitehead is ageing and Corey Harawira-Naera is well, not well. Simi Sasagi and Kaeo Weekes are sorta options for both. The Raiders reportedly want Sasagi to cover backrow, and Weekes to be a half/fullback option.

The fact that 27 positions are taken is reflected in a smaller ”needs’ column than recent years. I can’t decide if it’s a good thing or not, but the Raiders have clear options at nearly every other position. It’s just a shame that the positions they aren’t clear at are the most important. Fullback, Six, Hooker, backrow. Canberra has options at all of them, but if you were feeling 100 per cent sure about any of them you’re either a much smarter person than me, or a different kind of dumb.

Where they go next will be interesting. If Lam isn’t pursued the roster makeup still would be suited by someone to back up Fogarty as the sure-handed game manager. Strange and Weekes, the other halves options, are both more runners than the kind to run a side about. Between them they have a dozen games of NRL experience. There’s certainly a need for a bit of a guiding hand for depth at that position. It’s part of what Lam so appealing.

We’ll go into this in more detail later in the week but Elliott Whitehead only has so much more to offer. The Raiders have spent two years trying to find a replacement. You might argue Corey Harawira-Naera was one option, then Eli Katoa, the David Fifita, and now Keaon Koloamatangi have all been pursued in the hope that could fill the position. There’s plenty of options out there, and its possibly growing (hello Angus Crichton, need a home?). But the Raiders muddled through with what they had last year; if presented with the option of a half, or a backrower, one would presume the Milk would choose the former.

There is a possibility to pursue both pathways, and it comes with trading an outside back for Ethan Sanders. That would get Sanders in the door, free up a spot to sign Puru, a backrower and even an experienced depth half. Bob’s your father’s brother. Maybe that happens with Lachlan Lam, Keaon and the upgrade of Puru. The pathways are there still there. Time to pick one.

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