Returning NSW Cup not on Canberra Raiders' radar

Instead, they could use a combination of the NSW Jersey Flegg Cup, which will be an under-21 competition in 2021, and the Canberra Raiders Cup to keep their fringe players in shape.

Their relationship with the Mounties ended this year, with the NSW Cup side opting to form an alliance with the Canterbury Bulldogs for next year and beyond.

Raiders chief executive Don Furner said they will see how next season goes before reassessing ahead of 2022.

The Canberra Times revealed in August the Green Machine wouldn't form an alliance with a NSW Cup team.

NSW Rugby League announced on Tuesday the NSW Cup would return next season with a 10-team competition, which will kick off on the same weekend as the NRL, after only one round was played this year due to the coronavirus.

But the Raiders will field teams in the four NSW junior competitions - the Jersey Flegg, SG Ball (under-19s), Tarsha Gale (women's under-19s) and Harold Matthews (under-17s).

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Furner said because they had so many under-21s in their senior squad, like centre Matt Timoko, they would utilise the Jersey Flegg.

"We're not partnering a team [in the NSW Cup]. Mounties went with Canterbury and then COVID hit so we re-examined it all and we think we can get through," he said.

"Next year we'll reassess and look at it again for '22. We've got a lot of under-21s in our top squad so they'll be able to play 21s.

"Then we'll see what we'll do. We might look at the local league. We've got to have a meeting about that for excess first graders, but there's not going to be a lot.

"You throw in injuries, the under-21s going back and there might only be four or five players."