Canberra Raiders Latest

Brandon Smith returns to play for South Sydney after rehab, addressing alcohol and gambling issues, with Wayne Bennett praising his turnaround.

The Canberra Times

Wayne Bennett has paid tribute to Brandon Smith for turning his life around as the South Sydney hooker gets ready to take the field for the first time since entering a rehab facility. 

Smith, who missed the first five rounds of the Rabbitohs' season with a calf injury, is named to start in the No.9 jersey against reigning minor premiers Canberra at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Smith has been working on more than just his recovery over recent months, revealing how he had entered a treatment facility to tackle issues relating to alcohol and gambling.

The New Zealand Test hooker realised he needed to make a change to his life after he was stopped at an airport and charged by Queensland Police last year over allegations he supplied dangerous drugs and disclosed inside knowledge for betting purposes.

See more...

Xavier Savage will be out for two months due to an ankle injury, adding strain to the Raiders' roster amid a four-game losing streak.

The Canberra Times

Canberra's depth has suffered another blow with left winger Xavier Savage ruled out for eight weeks with an ankle injury. 

After undergoing scans, the speedster was cleared of any fractures after his foot got stuck underneath centre Simi Sasagi against Newcastle last Sunday. 

But the Raiders' 2024 top try scorer will still spend a lengthy stint on the sidelines, adding further strain to Canberra's roster, as Sasagi is already filling in for Matt Timoko (recovering from a foot injury) while Matty Nicholson (shoulder) is out for at least three months. 

Jed Stuart has replaced Savage for their clash with South Sydney on Saturday in Perth.

See more...

The Canberra Raiders seek to revive their season in Perth, hoping Saturday's match against the Rabbitohs will kickstart their comeback after a rough start.

The Canberra Times

The Canberra Raiders are searching for something to turn their season around, so Hudson Young figures they could use a flight to Perth "as our little Vegas trip ... without the elevator stuff."

Wind back a little more than 12 months. Young and teammate Morgan Smithies wandered across a road to a waiting media pack after the pair had been involved in a scuffle inside an elevator in Las Vegas, where an inflatable baseball bat had been mistaken by hotel staff for a weapon.

It was the story that lit the fuse for the rugby league media cycle, even if it was a mountain made out of a molehill in the Nevada desert. And, to a degree, it galvanised the Raiders and kickstarted their run to the club's first minor premiership in 35 years.

Which brings us to Perth, where the Raiders have touched down, ticked off a selfie with a quokka on Rottnest Island, and turned their attention to fixing a 1-4 start to the season which has them sitting 16^th on the ladder.

See more...