BY DAN

1 November is the start of the 2024 rugby league season.

It’s an important date, generating movement at the fringes of rosters. Clubs are finalising their top 30 for the upcoming season, and 1 November is the date that contracts for the 2025 season can now be signed. It makes team consider what’s important, for the next season and beyond. Players move in, out, and round-about. A team looking to fill some holes can pick up important pieces.

The big names are generally sewn up, either by their home club officially, or in a ‘worst-kept-secret’ scenario before the big gate. As these deals are finalised and made official it means that opportunities arise at the edge of rosters. After 1 November 2022 the Raiders signed Pasami Saulo and Danny Levi (the latter was reported before November, but not made official until after). Adrian Trevliyan was given a top 30 deal. In 2021 Nic Cotric came home and Bailey Simonsson left. Before that Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was a late joiner of the club. As you can see it’s rarely god’s footy team signing the big names (remember the heady days of maybe, thinking, hoping, that David Fifita might come to town?). But that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up team changing players.

This year might be somewhat different in shape and significance. For their part the Canberra Raiders have 27 of their 30 locked away for the 2024 season, a not insignificant amount of positions to fill. But it’s less than it appears. 27 doesn’t include Morgan Smithies, rumoured to have agreed to come to Canberra. 1 November may bring clarity on that front (and hopefully, confirmation). Presuming that the reporting is true and nothing else changes the Raiders only have two positions left to fill in their top 30.

One of those positions is (hopefully) going to Hohepa Puru. There was reporting about six weeks ago of contract negotiations, and the Raiders would be foolish to do anything that stopped him from being a long-term fixture at the club. He’s too talented, adds exactly what the Milk don’t have (creative ball-play and agility through the middle third, not to mention handy versatility). He also seems like a burgeoning leader. He started last season on a trial-and-train contract, but should be on the full-scholarship (so to speak) for the upcoming season and beyond. He should be playing near split minutes with Big Red at 13 next year. I hope Sticky sees it the same way.

That leaves one position, and I’m curious as to how that position will be managed. The recent Collective Bargaining Agreement has changed how development contracts work, and whereas 1 November had previously expected to be a celebration and formalisation of a deal with young half Ethan Sanders, that now can’t happen until after round six next year (which means we’ll have until April next year for confirmation).

I think that reduces, but doesn’t eliminate, the likelihood the Raiders will want to save a top 30 position for him in 2024. It seems the plan (as much as a sad man sitting on a couch with a computer can tell) was to get Sanders in the door ASAP so he could play in 2024. By the time he gets to the club next year there will (hopefully) be established halves. Development players can now play from round 1 (I think – happy to be corrected), so Sanders can theoretically play whether the’s top 30 or not. But that top 30 spot may be important to get him the cash necessary to get him in the door.

Adrian Trevilyan is in a similar position (though kinda in reverse). He took a contract ‘demotion’ for the 2024 season, shifting from a top 30 deal to a development deal. But with plenty of change forecast after this season (like Sticky retiring an entire generation himself apparently), there’s plenty of space (both in roster and in cap) to keep him at the club. That’s good because I’ve already got a tattoo with him holding up the 2027 premiership. Either way he’s not taking that final spot in 2024. But he’ll take one in 2025.

Canberra can find extra space in their roster for next year if they are able to trade away fringe players for space. Harley Smith-Shields and Peter Hola both seem on the outside of the club’s long-term thinking at the moment, and both have contracts ending in 2024 and futures they’ll want to ensure. If Canberra aren’t in, new clubs can come in search of underutilised or unfulfilled talent. Smith-Shields was nearly swapped for Sanders last year. While Parramatta have spent the off-season thus far finding other outside backs, other opportunities may arise that the MIlk will need to be cognisant of. But if there’s plans for that to happen, it’s a well kept secret.

At one level it demonstrates the possibility of the Raiders’ roster. Puru could a headiness the Milk have missed between the tram lines since Josh Hodgson’s knees failed to keep pace. Sanders has nothing but highest potential. Trevilyan, if his body and Coach Stuart agree to give him the time, could be the latest in a long time of greater Canberra rakes. But the impacts of these moves will be minimal in 2024. Puru is still years away from being who he will end up being. Sanders is closer to his HSC than a premiership.

That dreaded word – transition – hangs over a club with hope in the future but little flexibility in the now. It probably wasn’t meant to be this way. This club was set up to max out on the current generation over the next year or so while the next generation was given time. Instead Jack left and forced change where the was little room for it to occur.

For now the change will be minimal. Kaeo Weekes and Ethan Strange are enough options for the club to throw at the vacant six position. The potential return of Corey Harawira-Naera, the equally probable arrival of Morgan Smithies, may be the solutions they have on the edges. And Hohepa Puru’s growth and, importantly, retention, may be what they need to expand their offensive repertoire and alter their ‘one-track’ style of play. It’s a big bet to make at every position here, and hope is golden when there’s not many pathways available. There’s not many pathways forward now. May as well embrace this one.

It seems for now at least, 1 November will likely pass without much tangible change to the Raiders’ roster.

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