Last week Ethan Sanders revealed that he would be extending his time with the Canberra Raiders. This week it’s final, as reported by the Canberra Times and confirmed by Don Furner. Furner revealed it was a one year extension to end 2028.
As we noted last week this is good news but not surprising. Sanders has been blessed with the fortune of making all his errors in full view of us. We’ve ridden the bumps, and seen the improvements. While he’s not perfect, and his connection with the rest of the spine requires work, he’s succeeded despite imperfect seasons from pack he played behind, the spine he worked with, and pretty much everyone in between.
The only piece of additional information from today’s reporting is on length. This is only a one-year extension, meaning Sanders will be at the club for two more years. This is the exact same length of time that Coby Black’s current deal is.
It’s reflective of the lack of certainty as to who will win that battle, and Coach Stuart’s preference for positional competition to drive improvement. It is smartly organised to allow for the Raiders to manage their each-way bet. Two years is plenty of time for the positional battle to play out while maintaining medium length security for both players and club. It also puts a time limit on the club, forcing them to make a decision before they suffer choice paralysis.
It supports Sanders to be the ‘boss’ on the field, not having to wonder about his contract status beyond the season. A bit of freedom to make errors, take ownership and risks, so to speak, and enough of an endorsement from the club to make him think if he performs, he’ll win a longer deal. But it also doesn’t handcuff the Raiders to Sanders without the assurance he is ‘the guy’.
This isn’t one sided. It also doesn’t force Ethan to stay in town for long in the event that he’s not chosen. He’s entering 2027 with a lot on the line. Whereas rookie errors were forgiven in 2026, the bar has risen, in part due to Black’s effort in round 27. If things don’t work out in 2027 and Black seizes the role, then it could allow Sanders to be circumspect about where he chooses to go. This would mean he wouldn’t have to necessarily sign up to another backup position, or take a low-value deal, just to have a job.
It also accounts for the uncertainty around Black. He’s too talented to be a backup forever, and the last round of 2026 just heightened the tension. If he doesn’t get a run in 2027, there will be clubs watching. Nothing Black has said or done has suggested he wants to leave. In fact he’s been effusive in his praise for both Stuart, the club, and the city. But there is a scenario that someone comes next off-season laden with cash and promises. Having Sanders for 2028 means the Milk will have a plan in place if Black doesn’t stay.
2027 is going to be a big year for Ethan and the Raiders. Canberra are still aware that they need to work out which of their young halfbacks will be their chosen one. Sanders knows that he has limited time to make that happen. In signing this extension both sides have shown they’ve made this muddiness a little clearer.
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