Canberra Raiders lock in Jamal Fogarty with NRL contract extension

Fogarty has signed a one-year extension for 2025 with a mutual option for 2026, and the new deal could ensure the playmaker, who turns 30 in December, retires as a Raider.

The departures of Jack Wighton and Matt Frawley will leave Fogarty without an experienced halves partner as coach Ricky Stuart herald's the transition into a new era in Canberra.

Nineteen-year-old Ethan Strange is likely to get a shot at the vacant No.6 jersey while the Raiders are confident of securing Manly prospect Kaeo Weekes to bolster their ranks.

Fogarty, who was already contracted for 2024 but opted to test the market for 2025 and beyond, is seen as a perfect fit to lead Canberra's young back line in the coming years.

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"We want to make sure we have some stability in our squad, particularly in the halves. He's our senior half and will be our senior half for the next couple of years. He's playing his best footy and probably still has some improvement left in him as well," Raiders recruitment manager Joel Carbone said.

"He's an outstanding person, outstanding clubman, and the sort of person you want to keep at your club while they're playing good footy.

"He'll improve through opportunity, he's going to be the senior person so is more than likely going to see a few touches and have his hands on the ball a little bit more as Jack's gone.

"Because he's such a leader and he's such a hard worker, that stuff will rub off on the younger players as well. He's a very good role model for any young halves. His career is a testament to that, he is a late bloomer.

"He probably wasn't ready to play at the same age as some of these younger boys that we've got are, but he is certainly ready to go now because of all the effort he has put in. That rubbing off on our younger boys is only going to be a good thing."

South Sydney-bound Wighton had been a mainstay at five-eighth since 2019, helping the Raiders to a grand final and winning a Dally M Medal in Canberra's No.6 jersey, before shifting to centre later this year.

Wighton's move to the Rabbitohs coupled with the departure of Frawley [Huddersfield Giants] will allow Stuart to blood new talent to partner Fogarty - who has established himself as one of Canberra's most consistent players - in the halves.

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