BY DAN

Owen Pattie just extended his time in Canberra to the end of 2028. This is astounding news for the Raiders, retaining a key talent and ensuring they have a talented spine to bet on for years to come. Best of all it has been reported by the club. No ifs and buts. He’s with us for a while.

Pattie has been on everyone’s lips recently. His performance in the first trial confirmed the noise that had emerged over the preceding 18 months – Canberra have a serious talent at nine, the position they have desperately been trying to fill since Josh Hodgson’s knee shuffled off this mortal coil. We have been yearning for a player like Pattie, and the club have delivered. He can create from nine. He’s got a sublime kicking game, and seems to kick 40/20s for fun. He’s a bustling and busy runner. He’s shown a willingness in defence. It’s everything you’d want from a hooker. For a team that has been held back by that position over the last few years, it’s a remarkable salve.

The only question about Pattie is if he can make it work at the highest level. So far the evidence is pleasing. He’s done it at all the lower grades before this. In the recent trial against the Panthers he looked a step ahead of the admittedly sub-NRL standard of the game. It’s not an ‘if’ but a ‘when’ as to whether he plays first grade. We should have a good idea about where he’s up to soon.

That the club has offered such a long extension only confirms our suspicions they think they’re onto something here. They offered a similar deal to Ethan Strange last year as recognition they had a long term player. This bid is likely similar. Pay big money now on the bet that the talent will allow you to reap rewards through the back of the contract.

It’s an endorsement of their own entire recruitment strategy. They now have an entire spine put together on the same timeline and trajectory. There’s no point half-assing such a high risk approach. One in all in and all that. They’re loaded up with talent across the key positions. It’s now about the patience and ability to make that work.

It also validates the decision to let Adrian Trevilyan and Zac Woolford go. We were extensively critical of that, but you cannot fault the decision now. If you had to choose between a preternaturally talented rake, and a preternaturally talented rake coming off multiple serious injuries, you would make the same choice. If you had to choose between a solid mid-career hooker or a potential ten year star, you’d do the same. All we can do is eat the humble Pattie cake. Take me Baker’s man. Bake me like one of your French girls.

The only spot of rain for this is if it goes wrong. It’s the same bet that has been taken with Strange, Sanders and others. What if you get this talent and can’t make it sing? Well then you end up where they were before this – mediocre and struggling to find the light.

There’s also something about loading up too much on youth. Old heads are still needed to keep them moving in the right direction and to show them the ropes. Canberra don’t have to solve that now, but key veteran leadership will be critical part of this strategy over the coming years. Jamal Fogarty would be a test case if it didn’t seem more likely he’d leave. But it’s easier to find willing vets than talented youth. This was the battle they needed to win and they did.

Nothing is certain on this earth, but putting the talent in place and gambling that you can help it reach its potential is half the battle. Canberra now have players at every key position. There’s no assurance that it will deliver the premiership we all crave. But you can’t do that without potential. Canberra have now locked in that. The next challenge awaits.

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