RAIDERS OF LOST SPARK IN WIGHTON

Tyrone Munro is the name that everyone inside Souths wants to see fit, firing and in open space. The electric winger showed glimpses of his immense talent in his three NRL appearances last season. Injury has hampered the 19-year-old’s start to the 2024 season, and though he may come back through the NSW Cup, once he returns to the NRL it will be for a long time.

The Raiders have a talented and tough young pack but they’ve lost some experience, especially in Jack Wighton’s move to South Sydney. Coach Ricky Stuart will look to a group of emerging young stars to breathe life into the side in 2024.

BACKS

The Raiders have some of the brightest talent in the game with Albert Hopoate, Chevy Stewart and Ethan Strange all up for spots, while livewire winger Xavier Savage is fighting hard to reclaim his place in the team, having fallen out of the first-grade picture in 2023. Nick Cotric, Jordan Rapana and Matt Timoko round out a new-look backline with depth that has the ability to produce plenty of points.

SPINE

The loss of Wighton leaves a big hole in the Raiders’ spine, but Kaeo Weekes is a promising young player tipped to slip into five-eighth alongside Jamal Fogarty, who must really embrace the main playmaker role this season.

Weekes was highly regarded at Manly but squeezed out of a talented backline.

Strange, who can also play in the centres, could just as easily nail the role too. The Raiders have power in their options and versatility but that can also lead to instability.

At hooker, the Raiders almost have too many options. Tom Starling and Danny Levi are expected to battle for the No. 9 jersey, while

Matt Timoko became one of the best centres in the NRL over the past two seasons and his ability to break a game open has saved the Raiders from trouble many times. At the age of 24, he’s now a New Zealand representative, but at club level he can go to a new level again – Canberra need him to. there is back-up in Zac Woolford. Queensland young gun Adrian Trevilyan is also on the books, albeit on a development deal this season.

FORWARDS

The biggest strength at the Raiders is their powerful pack which stacks up against any in the competition.

It’s full of either current or former representative stars in Josh Papalii, Hudson Young, Elliott Whitehead and Corey Horsburgh, while Joseph Tapine is among the best forwards in the game. The future is now, too, with emerging secondrowers Jed Stuart and Noah Martin impressing over the trials.