Raiders in last year of contract lock in 2024 plans

Last year reports emerged of his UK interest and that has carried into 2024 with Yorkshire Live most recently claiming Hola is "keen" on heading to the Super League as he's struggled to regularly crack into the 17-man NRL team in Canberra.

Fuelling that speculation is a new Super League quota ruling introduced this year.

It stipulates that overseas players 24 or under that have played at least 75 per cent of games in the NSW or Queensland Cup can now qualify to join Super League teams, whereas previously only players with decent NRL experience met the requirement.

With only 13 total NRL games under his belt from his time with the North Queensland Cowboys and Raiders, Hola would not have met the previous quota guidelines, but he does under the new edition, with the 2022 NSW Cup player of the year a reserve-grade standout.

Furthermore, many Super League clubs do not hold the maximum permitted number of overseas players (seven), and the quota change could open the door for more fringe NRL talent to look to the UK.

However Hola will not be one of those players - at least not this year - and if all goes to plan, not in the years to come either.

His agent Chris Orr confirmed Hola has chosen to stick with the Raiders, and is more determined than ever to land another contract beyond 2024 and a bigger role in the NRL side.

"It's his last contracted year in Canberra, but he's going to put his head down, bum up and focus on securing his Raiders jersey," he said.

"Super League clubs came knocking and we discussed it, but he's made the decision to stay and fight for a starting 17 jersey.

"It's a very important season for him ahead."

Hola is putting all his energy into having a strong pre-season and putting his best foot forward in upcoming trials on February 17 against the Eels in Kogarah, and February 25 in Queanbeyan against his old team, North Queensland.

Since arriving to Canberra in 2022, Hola has only officially played one NRL game, a brief appearance from the interchange in July last year.

He was named for a "debut" earlier last season but he wasn't used at all on the bench in round 14 against the Tigers.

The 24-year-old is one of 10 Raiders off contract after this season.

That list includes ageing veterans Jordan Rapana and Josh Papali'i (2025 option), and retiring second-rower Elliott Whitehead, but also some of Hola's fellow forwards in Pasami Saulo, Trey Mooney and Hohepa Puru (2025 option), who will be just as hungry to make their mark this year.

Hooker Zac Woolford is also in the final year of his contract at the Raiders, and this week was reportedly denied a release to immediately join the Dragons.

Woolford played an NRL career-high 21 games last season, improving on his 17 appearances in 2022 when he made his debut for the Green Machine.

He was not initially the first-choice hooker for coach Ricky Stuart, with new recruit Danny Levi fracturing his jaw twice last year.

However Levi's setback highlighted the value for the Raiders in keeping an extra NRL-ready hooker, with Woolford contributing in rotation with Tom Starling.

In August, the Raiders showed their faith in Levi by re-signing him until the end of 2025, and it appears Woolford is set to stay in the capital for at least this year too.

Elliott Whitehead, Zac Woolford, James Schiller, Nick Cotric, Pasami Saulo, Peter Hola, Trey Mooney, Jordan Rapana, Josh Papali'i (mutual 2025 option), Hohepa Puru (mutual 2025 option)