Jamal Fogarty has promised a new-look Canberra Raiders playing style in the post-Jack Wighton era, after the halfback's re-signing was officially confirmed by the club.
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Ethan Strange, 19, and new recruit from Manly, Kaeo Weekes, will compete for the No.6 jersey left vacant by Jack Wighton and Matt Frawley's departure, and with that will come a fresh game plan.
"I think it has to [change]," Fogarty said. "Losing guys that are so experienced, we've got to evolve as a club, and if we don't we're never going to get better.
"Hopefully this season we'll have an attacking flair, but we've got to work on our defence as well - we let in too many tries."
Fogarty said the team had a sobering season review following their exit in the first week of the finals, and it's given some clarity on where they need to improve in 2024.
"[Last season] was very up and down. Our fans will know that. One thing we spoke about last year is consistency and we didn't deliver," he said.
"I think we're in the bottom four defensively, and in the bottom four in attack, so that's something we really need to mix up."
![Canberra Raiders re-sign halfback Jamal Fogarty until 2026. Picture by Keegan Carroll Canberra Raiders re-sign halfback Jamal Fogarty until 2026. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/783572c7-370f-4d54-8745-4c3fbd3dcd65.jpg/r0_500_5000_3322_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The 29-year-old halfback signed a two-year extension with the Raiders with a mutual option for 2026, as reported by The Canberra Times in October.
Fogarty was already contracted for 2024 but opted to test the market for 2025 and beyond, and his signature is a major boost as Canberra transition into a new era without Wighton (South Sydney), experienced halves specialist Frawley (Huddersfield) and former co-captain centre Jarrod Croker (retired).
"I didn't want to go anywhere else. I'm happy to stay here for as long as I can," Fogarty said.
"Coming from the Gold Coast, we weren't too sure what it was going to be like. But a big thanks to Jack [Wighton] and his family for helping us settle in.
"Him doing that, it feels like home for us now."
![Jamal Fogarty and Jack Wighton were mates on and off the field. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong Jamal Fogarty and Jack Wighton were mates on and off the field. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/029e3150-e63b-4442-a138-441099f670d2.jpg/r0_1677_4002_5995_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Dally M Medal winner Wighton had been a mainstay at five-eighth since 2019, helping the Raiders to a grand final in the position.
Getting used to the Raiders without 'Jacko' will be an adjustment for the whole squad, but particularly for close friend Fogarty, who said Wighton was a "massive loss".
"I still talk to him a fair bit, and we actually had lunch on Saturday. Even though it's only new, I'm sure once the footy season rolls around it'll feel different," Fogarty said.
"Moving forward we can't keep talking about Jack though, because he's at Souths now. So for myself it's just about understanding Strangey and Kaeo."
![Raiders new recruit Kaeo Weekes. Picture by Keegan Carroll Raiders new recruit Kaeo Weekes. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/56bdde51-4eb5-4522-8f78-8a5802cfe1d6.jpg/r0_211_5000_3333_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Fogarty said there's been healthy competition between Strange and Weekes, and they're also putting pressure on the halfback to stay on top of his game too.
But in the early stages of pre-season, Fogarty said it's too early to know who is in prime position to start alongside him in round one next year.
"It's like tossing a coin," Fogarty said. "We haven't had much time yet for us to link up at training. But in the weeks to come we'll have a better gauge on what it will look like.
"To see Strangey excel from last year to this year is really exciting and having Kaeo ... he's very fast and is pretty silky with the ball," Fogarty added.
"To see the little parts of their game is really exciting, but we've got a couple of months to build combinations. There's no-one locked in there, and that's a good thing to make sure they're working hard every day."