Hudson Young is leaving and Canberra now have nothing but questions that can’t be solved. Only time will allow solutions to emerge, and the Raiders must remain open to considering a range of pathways to solve their problems.
The bitterness around the outcome with the Young negotiation is plain to see in Coach Stuart’s comments of last week. While he made clear he didn’t hold the decision to go to the Chiefs against Young, he made clear the hurt it had caused him, and the club.
For his part Hudson says he wants to stay, but his comments revealed that his allegiance to the city and club is less than to being mortgage free, something $1.1m a year was evidently not enough to address. It must have left most wondering how he commutes from the Taj Mahal. While the correspondence we get is hardly definitive, it indicates that a lot of people would prefer a new start too.
It does seem like the major obstacle to Hudson finding a new start for next season will be in circumstance more than desire. Hudson’s return from an Achilles makes a short-term rental a challenge, at least at this point of the season. Most teams will be happy to let the Raiders pay him to rehabilitate. They will likely instead look to next year, when his health and fitness is clearer, and when the Milk have already paid half his yearly wage (which started on 1 November) before they come knocking.
But one would assume there will be a contender with a spare couple of hundred grand thinking they’re a good backrower away from a premiership. That might not happen until March or April. And it means immediate help is unlikely to come for Canberra in 2027.
Of course, Canberra might just roll Huddo out anyway. Shit maybe next year they get it together, go on a run, and we forget the sadness and turn it into a more peaceful transition. And maybe we also solve world peace and find a way to share our bountiful resources more equitably.
Canberra’s transition actually started back in September, when it was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald that they’d sign Matty Nicholson until the end of the 2030 season (which David Riccio reported as happening again now? Weird). It’s clear that he’ll be given an opportunity next year, presumably at the right backrow spot, with Noah Martin shifting to the left side he played in NSW Cup. Zac Hosking, Joe Roddy, Simi Sasagi and maybe Jordan Uta will provide depth. It’s not a bad place to be.
There will remain noise around the Raiders chasing Liam Martin. This seems an unlikely mountain to climb for the Milk, but as yet he’s the only player they’ve been linked to who has indicated a willingness to come. Already the Sharks are circling too, hoping to usurp the Raiders as the preferred rebound team should his negotiation with the ‘Riff fail.
But it’s plain that he’d prefer to stay where he is; it’s just a matter of how close the Panthers can get to what he wants to earn. That’s tougher because of the deal they’ve done with Nathan Cleary, but it’s not an insurmountable problem.
Regardless, that’s not a solution next year but 2028. It will be interesting to see how long the Raiders keep their Hudson Young money quarantined for use on Martin, or another free agent. According to the Daily Telegraph the Raiders have also “logged interest” – whatever that might mean – from Teig Wilton, Briton Nikora, Jordan Riki and Moses Leota. These mostly appear pure “we’d like your offer to raise our floor” Raider Raise material, but some (Riki, Wilton, and Leota) are worth monitoring regardless.
There’s already been discussion that they will focus on making sure Ethan Strange is locked down for the long term, something we advocated for recently. This will eat some, but not all, of that spare cash. If they land on an outcome between Coby Black and Ethan Sanders, they’ll have to fork out a big deal too, which could eat more of the spare cap space.
There will be other players that enter the market, particularly middles, that Canberra need more urgently. There is every likelihood that Noah Martin, Nicholson, and Roddy make such a compelling case in their roles that by July 2027 there is less temptation to splash on a rep backrower, and more desire to solve other problems.
These questions can’t be answered right now. Canberra likely won’t know what will happen with Hudson for months. They won’t know whether they can sign Liam Martin, or whether another opportunity will emerge they’ll be able to jump on. An extension for Strange will be negotiated well into next season. A deal for Sanders or Black won’t even be entertained until clarity emerges in their play, likely at the end of 2027.
Time is on their side. This is not an ageing roster. Outside of Joe Tapine there is not anyone approaching the finish line. Patience and flexibility will be required as they navigate the next twelve months. There are no certainties on the road ahead.
Except that, sooner or later, Hudson Young will no longer be a Canberra Raider.
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