Canberra Raiders News

The Raiders' player pact and sobriety boost their bid for a premiership since 1990.

The Daily Telegraph

It's the player pact driving Canberra to its first minor premiership since 1990 and what skipper Joe Tapine believes will give the Raiders a finals edge in September.

The Raiders have pledged to keep off the booze - a drinks drought in a bid to break another, the club's 31-year title drought.

Canberra's rapid rise to the top of the NRL ladder has seen Ricky Stuart's men emerge as surprise contenders in this year's premiership race.

The ascent of the Raiders, having lost only four games so far, has been built on the back the squad's electric young guns and a platform laid by experienced forwards campaigners like Tapine, Josh Papalii and Hudson Young.

Now Tapine, who replaced...

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Penrith signed Keahn Skipps, possibly leading Sandon Smith to join the Raiders.

LeagueNews.co

Penrith's acquisition of young playmaker Keahn Skipps from Canberra may pave the way for Sandon Smith to join the Raiders. Recent reports indicate that Smith is in talks with the Raiders, who have recently seen a decline in their playmaking options.

NRL halfback Jamal Fogarty will be transferring to Manly on a three-year contract, with young prospect Ethan Sanders likely to step into his position. Skipps had also been considered for this role and had captained Canberra's Jersey Flegg (Under-21) squad.

However, it was revealed this week that Skipps has signed a three-year contract with Ivan Cleary at the Panthers. With both Fogarty and Skipps leaving, this could explain the Raiders' interest in Smith.

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Melbourne Storm's Ryan Papenhuyzen is ruled out for the NRL grand final rematch.

LeagueNews.co

The Melbourne Storm face a significant setback as they prepare for their NRL grand final rematch against the Panthers, with Ryan Papenhuyzen ruled out. Meanwhile, the Warriors have addressed speculation about Jett Cleary's potential NRL debut. Papenhuyzen had recently returned after a four-week absence due to a calf strain and had played well, contributing to the Storm's victories over the Eels and the Broncos.

In his return, Papenhuyzen scored against the Broncos, showcasing his strong partnership with Harry Grant and Cameron Munster, as the Storm aims to close in on the Canberra Raiders for the minor premiership. Fans were eagerly anticipating an exciting duel between in-form fullbacks, Dylan Edwards and Papenhuyzen.

However, coach Craig Bellamy caught fans off guard by leaving Papenhuyzen off the roster, citing a concussion. There was no indication he sustained the injury during their last game, as he did not undergo a HIA against the Broncos, suggesting he might have either experienced delayed concussion symptoms or incurred the injury during training.

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