The Canberra Raiders have reportedly handed five members of their roster Top 30 deals for the 2026 NRL season as they continue to rebuild their squad following the departures of multiple veterans.
Over the past few seasons, the club has undergone a serious rebuild, which saw them say farewell to several veterans while building their squad around younger talent.
Former skipper Elliot Whitehead, ex-Dally M Medal winner Jack Wighton, veteran point-scorer Jarod Croker and New Zealand international Jordan Rapana are just a few players who have departed the nation's capital in the past two seasons.
In doing so, they have signed several U19s NSW Blues representatives and promising young players such as Ethan Sanders, Kaeo Weekes, Myles Martin and Savelio Tamale.
Continuing to focus on their future,ย the Raiders have handed Top 30 contracts to Jake Clydsdale, Joe Roddy, Manaia Waitere, Noah Martin and Owen Pattie for the 2026 NRL season, per the NRL Signing Tracker on NRL.com.
Beginning his career at the Northern Tigers, Clydesdale plays in the front-row and has spent the past couple of seasons in the NSW Cup competition, where he has accumulated 13 appearances - six of those came this year.
During these matches, the 20-year-old scored one try, made 90 tackles (90.9 per cent tackle efficiency) and averaged 54 running metres per game coming off the interchange bench.
The grandson of former rugby league player John Hobby, Joe Roddy also plays in the forwards on the edge of the field and moved to Canberra in 2023 after starting his journey in the Group 9 competition for Tumut.
Initially on their SG Ball Cup roster, Roddy made a quick impression before transitioning to the Jersey Flegg Cup and later the NSW Cup competition, where he played six times this year.
โThey were all really good, and if I had any questions, they all wanted to help, but I'd say Emre Guler and Hohepa Puru really helped a lot,โ Roddy told Tumut and Adelong Times about his biggest mentors at the club.
โIf I didn't know what to do, Hohepa would pull me aside, show me and help me, and he was the one that stood out to me the most.
โHis work ethic and how he goes about training is terrific, and if I can be anything like him and copy his good habits, I'll go a long way.โ
While Clydesdale and Roddy play in the forward, Manaia Waitere is a five-eighth and was previously involved in the Cronulla Sharks pathways system - a member of their Jersey Flegg Cup squad in 2022 and 2023 - before making the switch to the Raiders.
Also being able to play as a fullback and centre, Waitere can be classified as a utility back and started in all of his 24 matches for the side's reserve-grade team during this year's campaign.
Aged 22, he scored eight tries, provided six try assists, made 85 tackle busts and 13 line-breaks and averaged an impeccable 106 running metres per game.
The last two players that have been handed Top 30 contracts for 2026 are back-rower Noah Martin and hooker Owen Pattie.
Pattie has been regarded as the Raiders' future No.9, along with Shaun Packer, and is destined for great things.
Playing 12 games - three of those being as the starting dummy half - in the NSW Cup this year, Pattie is likely to be handed the keys to the hooker role in 2026, with Danny Levi and Tom Starling currently uncontracted for the season at the moment - the former has been continually offered to rival teams.
A member of the NSW Blues in the U19s State of Origin match earlier this year, Martin came close to making his first-grade debut in 2024 after 19 outings in the NSW Cup.
Starting in all but one of the matches, the 19-year-old had an incredible season, scoring seven tries, making ten line-breaks, averaging 63 running metres per game and making 611 total tackles at 92.4 per cent efficiency.
"Noah hasn't been far away all year," former NSW Cup coach Brock Shepperd told The Canberra Times in September.
"Projecting forward to next year Noah's going to be right in the mix for that position to start next year.
"He's obviously got to earn his way there. He's going to have to have a big pre-season and trial well, but his performances at this level ... he's been super consistent at the back end of the year.
"He's one player that I've had discussions with [Ricky Stuart] around in regards to his form and what next year looks like, so there's only a bright future for him.
Canberra Raiders Best 17 and Full Squad for 2026
1. Chevyย Stewart
2. Sebastian Kris
3. Matthewย Timoko
4. Ethanย Strange
5. Xavierย Savage
6. Kaeoย Weekes
7. Ethanย Sanders
8. Venaย Patuki-Case
9. Owenย Pattie
10. Josephย Tapine
11. Hudsonย Young
12. Zacย Hosking
13. Morganย Smithies
Interchange
14. Adam Cook
15. Coreyย Horsburgh
16. Matty Nicholson
17. Treyย Mooney
Rest of squad
18. Michaelย Asomua
19. Manaiaย Waitere
20. Myles Martin
21. Ataย Mariota
22. Noah Martin
23. Savelioย Tamale
24. Joeย Roddy
25. Pasamiย Saulo
26.ย No player signed.
27.ย No player signed.
28. No player signed.
29. No player signed.
30. No player signed.
Roster spots open: 5
Jamal Fogarty and Peter Taateo have options in their contract for 2026 and have not been included in the list of contracted players.
