Teen speedster Chevy Stewart has been backed to break into the NRL this year as the electric fullback draws on his junior years as a sprinter to spark the Green Machine.
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Once one of the fastest nine year olds in NSW, Stewart has emerged as a genuine starting option for the Raiders this year after a standout NSW Cup season and strong pre-season campaign.
His rise gives Raiders coach Ricky Stuart plenty of options as the start of the season gets closer, with Sebastian Kris, Xavier Savage and Stewart all contenders for the No. 1 jersey.
According to Canberra teammate Matt Timoko, the zippy 18 year old is poised to be a surprise standout of 2024.
"I'll back him to have a debut," the Raiders centre told The Canberra Times.
"So far in pre-season I like the look of young Chevy. He's looking really rapid out there, and one thing about him I love is his confidence.
"He's only 18 years old, but he goes out there and he plays with such flamboyancy out on the paddock.
"I've seen him throughout the 2023 season at the club and I'm liking what he's been doing out here.
"He's just backing himself. He's a confident young kid so I back him to have a good '24."
Stewart started last year playing in the SG Ball competition but he soon became a fixture for the Raiders in NSW Cup, scoring nine tries, kicking 31 goals, and averaging 115 metres a game.
He also lined up as a fullback for the Under-19 NSW Blues alongside fellow young Raider Ethan Strange, and had 10 tackle breaks in a 32-14 win over Queensland.
Stewart's strong season led to the Raiders re-signing him until the end of 2026 with an option for 2027, and he is tipped to be an exciting weapon for the club in the near future.
Stewart has already flagged his intent to wear the No.1 on his back in round one next year for the Raiders with key positions up for grabs in pre-season.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has been tight-lipped on his vision for who will take on the fullback role next year, but it appears that Stewart is in a race with Savage, and possibly new recruit Kaeo Weekes, who played in the position for Manly.
Kris stepped in at fullback when Savage was injured in pre-season right before Canberra's last NRL campaign began, but Kris is expected to return to his role in the centres this year.
Both Savage and Stewart offer lightning speed and agility having had success at junior level in athletics, and they boast a special ability to find the try-line too - something the Raiders could benefit from as the fifth-lowest point-scorers in 2023.
Timoko said Savage had also impressed in pre-season, but wasn't certain what the back's role would be.
"He's been training really well. He had a bit of a disrupted season getting a few injuries and obviously playing mostly in NSW Cup, but he's looking really good," Timoko said.
"I'm not too sure what the plan is for Xavier though."
The Raiders will ramp up their pre-season in the coming months, ahead of trial matches against Parramatta and North Queensland in February.
Melanie Dinjaski
Melanie Dinjaski is an experienced sports journalist at the Canberra Times with a genuine love of all sports. She's covered every code from NRL to NFL. Melanie aims to bring Canberrans all the sports news they need to know. If you have a story worth sharing, get in touch!
Melanie Dinjaski is an experienced sports journalist at the Canberra Times with a genuine love of all sports. She's covered every code from NRL to NFL. Melanie aims to bring Canberrans all the sports news they need to know. If you have a story worth sharing, get in touch!
