BY DAN

It’s been a quiet off-season, as far as roster management is concerned.

This time of the year is normally a busy time for recruitment. The 1 November “start of the new season” date means that teams are usually getting their houses in order, identifying needs and either getting it sorted, or at least making enough waves that word bubbles up like the myths of our childhood. Did you hear Leo Thompson is going to the Dogs? Ben Hunt is heading home? Clint Gutherson got a rib removed? This mixture of outright lies and scuttlebutt (Gutho has done a lot of weird things but that’s not one of them) usually gives us some indication of where Canberra are aimed in the player market. Alas since the hooker rumours (the position not the occupation) died out it’s been quiet in Canberra. A little too quiet (*extreme Pike voice*)

Perhaps the Raiders are paddling like the proverbial duck, busy behind the scenes without there being obvious impact on the ‘noise’ front. There’s been scuttlebutt and quiet conversations but nothing to hang any hats on as yet. No word on Guler’s request for release, or on Hohepa Puru’s contract option. Danny Levi wanted out but no one wanted him, so I suspect he’s staying. But if there’s movement coming there’s been no hint. Yet.

The Milk may have targets but they also only have one actual free spot in their top 30. That can become up to five spots if all things turn to change. But at the moment the Raiders can only sign one player in good conscience. After that everything else requires movement. Given they’re still in the Leo Thompson discussion (at least nominally) it could be a useful explanation for why there hasn’t been more news. Combine that with the ongoing Pacific Test championship meaning a good portion of the rugby league world is not in their home towns and the reasons for the lack of signal become clearer.

But I expect things will become clear in the next few weeks, particularly post 1 November as 2026 contracts are up for grabs and players are looking to find certainty over the coming 24 months. There’s a host of pathways that are ‘if/then’ scenarios that wouldn’t actually alter the number of top 30 positions. If Thompson comes – an unlikely outcome – Guler would more likely be granted his leave. The departure of Levi would likely result in Owen Pattie ascending to the top 30. Only Danny Walker would seem to be a pure addition. I’m not sure that boat has actually left port yet. Again, the test season complicates matters. There’s a domino out there waiting to fall. It seems we’re all just waiting for it.

But nonetheless Canberra has some very obvious needs going forward.

Hooker

It’s clear that the Raiders need another rake. The two on the roster are neither sufficient in style, output, or number. Canberra need someone that can either provide a bridge to, or compliment of, Owen Pattie. Adding Danny Walker and Owen Pattie to Canberra’s mix of rakes would be the best case scenario. Canberra get a rolled gold starter now, in the medium term, and get the time and space to develop the next generation.

So far the other options they’ve been linked to haven’t excited. Corey Paix would be more of the limited upside, run-first model they already have at home. They’ve also been linked (in rumour only) to Jayden Brailey. He’d be an intriguing bridge, a genuinely good nine who has found staying healthy harder than LL Cool J. Brailey won’t come easy because he’s contracted at decent coin (apparently close to 650k a year). Newcastle will tip in a bit but all reports are the Milk don’t have that kind of money to spend on a nine.

I’m not giving up on Walker coming. I’m not saying he’s the solution to all our problems, but he’s good enough to be an international and clearly has a ceiling about that currently in Canberra’s top 30. It’s clear he wants to play NRL and it’s clear the Raiders need a rake.

One thing is sure. Ben Hunt is not coming to Canberra.

Outside backs

Getting their hands on an experienced outside back that can cover centre/wing combinations feels like a necessity. The Raiders have lost James Schiller, Nic Cotric and Jordan Rapana, all of whom you wouldn’t have unreasonably thought may have been first stringers, or thereabouts coming into the season. At the very least all three were the primary back up at key positions in the outside backs (Cotric on the wing, Schiller centre/wing, and Rapana anywhere he damn pleased).

The Milk do have plenty of talent in the roster. I’ll be salivating for Salevio, marvelling at Michael, and buoyant on Bert, but the Raiders could use someone to cover in the event of imperfection. Young players being young after all.

On the market it’s pretty dire though. If you’re looking for safety in experience you won’t find easy solutions. Taane Milne is experienced and off-contract but not exactly reliable. Ditto Izaac Thompson. I’m a Daejarn Asi believer but I’m not sure he’d cover the requirements either, and is heading to the Super League (allegedly). Morgan Harper exists but is so old. If Canberra does address this position it wouldn’t surprise if its not until later in the off-season, as players start becoming targets for 2026, and Canberra can offer game-time in 2025 for fringe players to lure them from existing contracts.

But really all it does is make losing Jordan Rapana that much harder.

Backrower

And I mean that in the old fashioned sense. The Raiders could use coverage across the lock/edge forward positions.

That may surprise you for two reasons. First of all, as far as observable priorities for the Milk this has been far down the list. Their focus, at least that we can see, has been on getting a replacement for Josh Papalii’s coming retirement, and a rake to either support or replace the current starters. While they’ve been hopeful that depth at the position like Hohepa Puru would pick up their contracts for next year, they’ve hardly laid out the red carpet to keep him.

Secondly they’ve actually got a fair bit of depth at the position. Corey Horsburgh will eat minutes at 13 next year (if fit), and Morgan Smithies did so at the position in 2024. Zac Hosking and Matty Nicholson will likely need to fit in the same side next year, and it could happen by moving Hosking to cover minutes in the middle of the park. Add to that Joe Tapine and NSW Cup Brock Sheppard both pointing to Noah Martin’s inexorable rise, Simi Sasagi’s improvement, and the acquisition of Myles Martin and it just seems like there isn’t a lot of space.

But to me Noah, Smithies and Horse all profile as the same kind of player (to varying degrees). Hard runners, willing defenders, but not exactly fast or agile. Hosking is that, but he’s only a man. Sasagi is too, but it’s probably a bit much to expect him to cover all three backrow positions. And Myles Martin might be magnificent. He also might not. Canberra could use someone like Corey Harawira-Naera on the roster, or at least able to play. Basically there’s a lack of certainty

In free-agency there’s bits and pieces, much like the outside back market. I’ve always been a Jackson Topine fan but he’s never managed to crack it with an underwhelming Dogs pack. You can have your pick of Eisenhuths, which is kinda like someone telling you to pick between your favourite porridges. They might vary in temperature but it’s all gruel. Adam Elliott might be out there, but probably comes at a clip and years requirement that Canberra can’t afford, either in a cap or roster management sense.

Canberra might just let this one go through to the keeper for now, hoping they can hang on to Hohepa or hope that the existing talent on the roster makes the leap. It’s probably a better idea than bland signings that take up roster positions and money for the sake of it.

Or they could keep Hohepa Puru. Goddamnit.

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