BY DAN

The news is now official. The Canberra Raiders will have to manage without Hudson Young and Ethan Strange this week, and potentially through the Origin period.

Before we begin our ceremonial moaning, we should also probably congratulate Ethan and Huddo for the recognition of their work. For Strange it’s his first entrance to the arena, a deserved recognition of how far he’s come and how fast he’s doing it. He’s still only 21 and already proving himself one of the premier young playmakers in the game. He’s not yet perfect, but being identified as good enough for Origin before he’s even found his best footy is such a good sign for his trajectory.

Even in a side sputtering and spitting through the first half of the season, Strange has shown marked improvement on his already impressive 2025. He’s shifted his nominal side, and rather than take a step back has showed a more rounded game. He’s a brilliant ball runner, but now it’s becoming increasingly clear that he’s more than that, and in attack that has yet to find its fluidity, he is a fulcrum of which good things happen. Exposure to the highest level of the game, the systems employed, and how the players at that level implement them, will only help his development.

For Hudson we’re just glad that the Blues’ selectors didn’t fuck it up. While Haumole Olakau’atu may be a more damaging runner, no other backrower in the competition has been the consistent presence in attack, yardage, and defence that Hudson is.

Most outside observers tend to see him as a bit of a game breaker – a dude that will do something random and change the game. That’s true about him, but it understates how those random ‘peaks’ fail to account for how high base camp is. Canberra rely on his ability and willingness to make every tackle on his edge, clean up messes when they occur. His motor, and ability to be the first guy back, cover across to the other side of the ground if needed, is the cornerstone of the Raiders, and the kind of defensive capability needed in the most intense football played.

But while I’m happy for these players, it presents a new problem for the Milk. Canberra now have one healthy backrower (Zac Hosking), one part timer (Ata Mariota) and then…I dunno. Kids – Jordan Uta prime among them – need the kind of minutes and development in Cup that Sticky thinks Owen Pattie needs. But there aren’t really other options. Joe Roddy is back in round 14. Simi Sasagi in 16. Matty Nicholson and Noah Martin are indefinite, and likely not back until well after Origin.

We’ve harped on this before, but Canberra are going to have to come up with some wild and wacky solutions if Young is going to miss games. Seb Kris and Jed Stuart have both played literal minutes of backrow in first grade and Cup respectively. Daine Laurie will likely have other jobs to do. Moving more middles (like Horse) to the edge will only further weaken them at other positions they don’t have a lot of depth in. Right now Canberra are surfing a wave of misfortune and trying to repel the shark at their leg with a weaponised bream.

While the substitution for Strange is more clear – it will likely be Daine Laurie – it doesn’t mean the impact is less. Laurie does a lot of good things on the field, but this is not like for like. The drop off in defence is substantial, and while Daine has a lot of charms with ball in hand, it’s not worth pretending the output will be of the same nature. Canberra’s attack at its best has Strange, Sasagi, Moko, breaking tackles and hearts (but not mine. My heart is whole for you, Matthew Timoko). Now poor old Matthew will have heavier shoulders than Atlas.

Moreover, these changes to their edge defence will be tested, precisely and repeatedly by a series of teams with weaponry on the outside. The ‘Phins, the Cows, the Roosters and even the Eels, are all set up to attack edges and none will be without their key playmakers in the same way.

Isiaah Katoa will be watching Origin like the rest of us, and Billy Slater is so dumb he didn’t manage to pick either of the best Queensland backrowers, both of whom play for Redcliffe. Herbie Farnworth is the best centre in the game and can’t get a game in Origin because Billy is a coward (just pick him Billy who’ll even notice?). For the Cows, Scotty Bevelacqua stirs the drink and will never be let near rep footy because he only plays offence. Here’s hoping Billy sticks with Sam Walker through the whole show.

It’s a problem. This is meant to be the time where Canberra shake off the rust of their early season dramas push forth to something approaching a .500 record and beyond. Instead it will take all their scrappy insanity to pull victories out of the fire. But if they can keep touch, and they can get healthy, then *whispers* maybe just maybe we can do something when everyone gets back.

There’s a long season ahead. This will be a tough period. Hopefully the Raiders are tougher.

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