BY DAN

I could get used to this.

The Canberra Raiders are reportedly “all but done” on an extension for Simi Sasagi (said with full “Seven Nation Army” chant). This news comes from Sir Finger of the Pulse, David Polkinghorne of the Canberra Times. (Update: now confirmed by the club)

Those of you who’ve been here all year you know what that means. The deal is done, and we’re just waiting on the official registration process. If Vlando could get out of his bath quicker maybe we could celebrate this weekend. Alas we have to wait a few days. But we’ve seen enough of these this year to know this process means we’ve won the battle.

And it’s a good battle to win. Signing Simi the centre to make him Simi the backrower always felt like the desperate measures to which we go in order to meet scarcity. When he took the field in the position in 2024 he very much felt like he was learning while we watched. Given backrow is one of the most demanding positions to play (and to fill) we remained hopeful he could make the leap.

He did that. You’ll remember in the few games he started on the edge in ’24 he missed double-digit tackles. It’s not a perfect measure, but in this case it matched the eye test. He was a man trying to make computer decisions with a hand-cranked brain. This year he looks much more comfortable despite being deployed in a multitude of different roles. A 92 per cent tackle efficiency has resulted and given that’s been at backrow, centre, middle, and your mum’s house, it’s an astonishing rate of success.

It’s a solidification of his position. It’s been clear since he got here that Simi could run lines off halves’ shoulders. It’s clear that as a centre he’s a powerful runner with an advantageous if sometimes profligate offload. But adding this robust and flexible defensive employability has provided Canberra with a peg to put in any hole.

That Canberra have found someone that can defend on the edge, bring pace to the middle and even fill in at centre is remarkable. That they add him to the pile alongside four other players that can or will be able to play quality edge minutes when most teams struggle to find two, is a resounding victory for the recruitment team.

That they’ve extended his time at the club is just fucking ace. It puts him on the same timeline as much of the rest of the squad and committed to the same cause. It allows flexibility in the roster. Insert your favourite Vince McMahon graph because this Simi Sasagi and Zac Hosking letting you manage every goddamn eventuality on a football field is laser-beam eyes shit. I love it, Simi, and you. Let’s fucking go.

Alright, calm down. One good season doesn’t make a career. Sticky has noted previously that the key test for him was Sasagi’s commitment to his craft. Sometimes that comes a little easier in a contract year, when times are good and life is beautiful. This is effectively buying at the top of the market. The risk is that with these deals we all get fat on having achieved plenty of nothing and forget to put in the work.

But man, that’s tomorrow’s problem. You can’t build a team on what might go wrong. The stars aren’t there to tell you about the darkness. Reach for them and maybe you might come up with something shiny.

Canberra have done well, again. Another player that was a flight risk nailed down. Another player building value for vultures staying home. More flexibility. More pace. More youth. You love to see it.

I could get used to this.

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