Canberra Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty returning early for pre-season to start NRL campaign fast

The Canberra Raiders halfback will begin pre-season a week early than required - he might as well run with mates than run around an oval on his own.

He's hoping that will have him fit and firing come the start of the 2023 NRL season - in contrast to this year when he suffered a knee injury just days before the opening game that ruled him out for the first half of the season.

But Fogarty still had time to pop down to Ronald McDonald House, for which he's an ambassador, and he encouraged everyone to support the upcoming McHappy Day on November 19.

Fogarty's not due to start pre-season until November 24, but he'll return a week early with an eye on making a fast start to the season.

The 28-year-old missed the opening 11 rounds, during which time the Green Machine stuttered to a five-six, win-loss record - and were as low as second last after seven rounds.

When he returned to team up with star five-eighth Jack Wighton, the Raiders went on a run to sneak into the eight and play finals.

"We need to start the season well and if we can win a couple more games at the start of the year it takes a bit of pressure off winning so many consecutive games at the back end of the season like we had to last year," Fogarty said.

Fogarty wasn't taking it for granted that he was guaranteed to wear the Raiders No.7 jersey come round one next year.

He expected pressure from both Brad Schneider and Matt Frawley during the pre-season.

"That jersey is definitely not mine. Pre-season gets to start again and the best trainer will get the nod," Fogarty said.

"You've got to compete with one another, and also educate and learn off one another.

"It's not just me versus Schneids, or me versus Frawls, we've all got to work together."

Fogarty has always relished the opportunity to work with the community and jumped at the chance to become an ambassador for Ronald McDonald House, which provides families a place to stay at Canberra Hospital to be close to their sick children.

He received a nomination for the Ken Stephen Medal in 2021 for his work on literacy in the Indigenous community, while also mentoring school children on the Gold Coast.

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The Raiders half felt it gave him perspective - realising that while a finals loss was tough at the time, others were dealing with far more serious problems.

"Getting out and about in the community, help in some small way if I can," Fogarty said.

"It takes me away from footy as well, keeps you grounded knowing that people are in very difficult situations every minute of the day compared to us as athletes and parents who are at home with healthy young ones.

"It definitely puts things into perspective for us."

Such is the demand, all the rooms at Ronald McDonald House were full on Friday.

Young Leeton mother Mu Dah was there following the premature birth of her twin boys Raphael and Riccardo.

While Raphael's been discharged, Riccardo was still in hospital care.

"It's really important for me because I don't think I can afford it. It's helping me mentally and financially because we don't have much money to pay for accommodation," Dah said.

"It's really close to my baby. I don't have to drive so far to come and see my baby. It's really helping."

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