We love the mighty Canberra Raiders
State of Origin brings mixed outcomes for NRL clubs, with some thriving while others struggle significantly.
The State of Origin period is a wild and wacky time of year.
Some clubs go from strength to strength, others sneak through flying by the seat of their pants, and others collapse in a miserable heap, whinging about player workloads and travel.
In one of those strange quirks of the NRL season, Ricky Stuart's men didn't have their first bye of the campaign until Round 15.
Josh Papalii, 33, remains open to playing elsewhere in 2026 after his final Origin game.
Canberra great Josh Papalii insists he still has a lot to offer as a player and has kept the option of playing elsewhere in the NRL in 2026 open.
The 33-year-old prop is back with the Queensland team ahead of his 24th and final State of Origin game and was asked in Maroons camp about his club future.
Papalii now has the most games in the top grade for the Raiders but will not be at the club next year.
Canberra Raiders kick off NRLW season against Dragons, aiming for top four with new signings.
The Canberra Raiders NRLW team will launch their third season this Saturday with a match against the St George Illawarra Dragons at GIO Stadium.
After finishing seventh last season, the Raiders aim to break into the top four, especially with the introduction of two new clubs making the competition fiercer.
The Raiders have made several fresh signings and are looking to leverage this to their advantage in 2025.
Meanwhile, the Dragons, who finished ninth last season, are also eager for a fresh start.