Raiders agree terms with young gun halfback

The Raiders have agreed to terms with Sanders on a three-year deal, but now have to wait out the 10-day cooling-off period before they can sign him.

In a typical NRL twist, on the same day Sanders was also named to make his Parramatta debut - at five-eighth against Manly at Brookvale on Friday night.

Canberra halfback Jamal Fogarty underwent surgery on his biceps tear on Tuesday and he'll now spend the next three months on the sideline.

It's a big blow for the Green Machine given Fogarty still leads the NRL for kick metres - even though he missed the entire second half of the loss to the Brisbane Broncos on the weekend.

But in a boost for the Raiders they're now a step closer to luring Fogarty's potential successor with the Sanders news.

Sanders has reportedly told Parramatta he's leaving at the end of the season.

The Canberra Times revealed Kaeo Weekes would come into the No.7 jersey to replace Fogarty against the Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.

He'll partner fellow young gun Ethan Strange in the halves, after the pair spent the pre-season battling each other to play five-eighth alongside Fogarty.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has named Simi Sasagi in the second row, with Ata Mariota part of the bench rotation.

Aside from Weekes coming in, it's an unchanged 17 for the Green Machine.

Canberra hooker Tom Starling said it was up to the forward pack to get the halves into good positions to kick - which would in turn help them cover the loss of Fogarty's superboot.

The Raiders have a very young backline - with the oldest player just 24 - with most of their experience in their middle forwards in acting captain Joe Tapine and Josh Papali'i.

That experience would now be crucial for Canberra.

"They [just] go out there and play football. The less [instructions] we give them the better they'll go," Starling said.

"We've got a really good forward pack - that's where our experience is - they just need to get on the back of those boys.

"It's up to us boys to get us in good position to kick the ball.

"The middles have got to take responsibility to get into the spots they need to kick from.

"We'll have a nice simple game plan for them around kicking."

Starling said Fogarty's hamstring injury during the pre-season would now be a positive for the Green Machine.

It allowed both Weekes and Strange to train alongside each other in the halves for several weeks, while they also played together in the Raiders' pre-season trials.

That allowed them to build a combination and get to know each other's games.

Starling also pointed to Weekes' form in NSW Cup as another positive.

"He trained the house down in pre-season - him and Strangey were battling it out there," he said.

"Obviously Strangey got the nod for round one and he's taken it with two hands, but it could've gone either way.

"Jamal was out in pre-season so they've worked together a lot.

"That'll be good for this weekend and moving forward.

"He's been playing good footy in Cup and he's good to go."

Weekes will slot in on Fogarty's right edge, allowing Strange to remain in familiar surrounds on the left.

Raiders second-rower Hudson Young said Stuart would simply instruct the former Manly utility to be himself.

Weekes has pace to burn as part of a good running game, which Young felt would bode well for Canberra's attack.

"He's a very good attacking player," Young said.

"Training with him all through the pre-season and the trials I thought he was really good and really happy for him to get his opportunity.

"Kaeo brings his own style of play and we'll have to adapt to that.

"We'll just keep doing what we're doing, hopefully everything falls into place around those boys.

"Like 'Stick' does with all the players, he just backs them to go out and play their own game of footy and just be themselves."

NRL ROUND EIGHT

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Chevy Stewart, 2. James Schiller, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Xavier Savage, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Kaeo Weekes, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Joe Tapine (c), 11. Hudson Young, 12. Simi Sasagi, 13. Morgan Smithies. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Ata Mariota, 16. Trey Mooney, 17. Pasami Saulo. Reserves: 18. Albert Hopoate, 19. Emre Guler, 20. Zac Woolford, 21. Nick Cotric, 22. Peter Hola.

Sharks squad: 1. William Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Jesse Ramien, 4. Kayal Iro, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Daniel Atkinson, 7. Nicho Hynes, 8. Thomas Hazelton, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Oregon Kaufusi, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Teig Wilton, 13. Cameron McInnes. Interchange: 14. Jack Williams, 15. Siosifa Talakai, 16. Toby Rudolf, 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele. Reserves: 18. Mawene Hiroti, 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha, 20. Samuel Stonestreet, 21. Royce Hunt, 22. Kade Dykes.