The Canberra Raiders are hoping a tour of their centre of excellence will help lure a possible Jack Wighton replacement to the capital.
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They've invited versatile Manly back Kaeo Weekes to visit Raiders HQ in the next week as they go about strengthening their spine for the 2024 NRL season.
The news comes as they've finalised a two-year contract extension that will keep Queensland State of Origin star Corey Horsburgh with the Green Machine until the end of 2027.
Weekes, 21, has played 12 NRL games for the Sea Eagles - either from the bench, at fullback or five-eighth.
The Raiders see him as a skilful, quick, strong player who could wear either the No.1 or No.6 jerseys - with how he trained to determine where he would fit into the Raiders squad.
![The Raiders are hoping to lure Manly playmaker Kaeo Weekes to Canberra. Picture Getty Images The Raiders are hoping to lure Manly playmaker Kaeo Weekes to Canberra. Picture Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/085c710a-1cd1-4e9d-8f00-8fcd3a4f7607.jpg/r0_15_3265_1858_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Weekes' Manly contract runs out at the end of October and he was told earlier this year he could leave early if he found a new home.
Canberra need to bolster their playmaking stocks following the departures of Wighton (South Sydney), Matt Frawley (Leeds) and Brad Schneider (Penrith) this season - leaving them with just Jamal Fogarty and Ethan Strange as their playmakers for next year.
The Raiders were also hopeful they might be able to prize young Parramatta half Ethan Sanders away from the Eels a year early - he's contracted to the Eels until the end of 2024 and has been strongly linked with a move to Canberra after that.
MORE RAIDERS NEWS
Weekes would provide them an option either at five-eighth alongside halfback Fogarty or at fullback - which was covered by Sebastian Kris and Jordan Rapana this season.
The Raiders have opened talks with Fogarty and were looking to extend his deal until the end of 2025.
He's off-contract next year and has said he will go to the open market to check his options when he's allowed to speak to other clubs from November 1.
Canberra has also started talks to extend young prop Ata Mariota for an extra year.
The 21-year-old's contracted until the end of 2024, but emerged as a future enforcer with his massive performance in the Green Machine's heart-breaking elimination final loss to the Newcastle Knights on Sunday.
NRLW ROUND NINE
Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans at Canberra Stadium, 3.15pm.
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