Rising star Chevy Stewart has detailed how a fellow youngster convinced him to join the Canberra Raiders as the club builds a new generation of players attempting to make the NRL Grand Final for the first time since 2019.
One of the next generation of fullback stars alongside Liam Ison, Sua Fa'alogo and Isaiah Iongi, Stewart is coming off a remarkable season that saw him make his NRL first-grade debut and earn Player of the Match honours at the annual U19s State of Origin match.
Destined for greatness from a young age, Stewart came through the Cronulla Sharks development program and helped guide the club to the 2022 Harold Matthews Cup Grand Final. However, a conversation with Ethan Strange saw him change his career trajectory and would soon leave the Sharks.
"There was interest from a few other clubs, but I went to a City (vs) Country camp, and I knew of Ethan Strange, and we had a great time," Stewart said.
"We had a nice little chat down there and he told me the club was going in the right direction.
"I got a little bit of FOMO and called my dad and my manager and said I really want to go to Canberra, so I probably moved down for Strangey."
Since moving clubs to the Canberra Raiders, he has quickly progressed through their junior ranks and has been a regular in their NSW Cup side. He has also made three NRL appearances against the Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane Broncos, and his former team.
During this time, he averaged 145 running metres per match (436 total running metres) and made six tackle busts.
While many predicted him to receive more game-time this season, he is playing under one of the best coaches in Ricky Stuart when it comes to building the progression and development of younger players.
This was illustrated last weekend when Stuart allowed Ethan Strange to return home for three days and dropped him down to 18th man to give him a week off as they gear up for an end-of-season finals run.
"I put him down as my second dad," Stewart said of his Raiders coach.
"To be honest, he's so good. He looks after me and Strangey so well. Not only just us two, he looks after the whole club.
"He has us over for dinner and stuff. Tells us when we're not doing stuff right and when we're doing stuff right so he's definitely a big role model in my life."
Sitting just out of the top eight in 10th position on the NRL ladder, the Canberra Raiders have made several new signings for next season as they attempt to rebuild their club around the younger generation of talent.
Having lost experienced veterans Jack Wighton, Jarrod Croker, Eliiot Whitehead and Nick Cotric over the past couple of seasons, they have looked to the future, confirming the arrivals of three former U19s NSW Blues representatives - Ethan Sanders (Eels), Myles Martin (Knights) and Savelio Tamale (Dragons).
Their arrival means the club will have six players from the NSW Blues team that defeated the QLD Maroons 32-14 in the Under-19s State of Origin match in 2023 - the other three are Strange, Jake Clydsdale and Stewart.
"There's a really good future going on down at Canberra and I'm very excited to meet the boys and get them down to home," he added.
"100 per cent (it would be the dream to all run out together). Me and [Ethan] Strange have been lucky enough to experience it and probably put it down to one of the best days of my life.
"I'm sure they'll get their chance for sure."