Ethan Strange’s Rise and the Impact on Canberra
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has noticed a significant transformation in young talent Ethan Strange following his impressive performance in the State of Origin series. This change in Strange’s game has not gone unnoticed, and Stuart is encouraging more of his star players to take on representative roles.
Strange made his debut for New South Wales (NSW) just days after being called into the starting lineup due to Mitchell Moses’ injury. His performance in the Blues’ 22-20 victory in the first game at Accor Stadium was nothing short of remarkable. He scored a crucial second-half try that helped set the stage for NSW’s comeback, leaving Blues coach Laurie Daley with a difficult decision regarding the No.6 jersey for the next game.
Stuart, however, remains focused on Strange’s performance with the Raiders rather than the ongoing debate about the starting line-up. “I’d love to have five or six origin players, international players, because that type of football makes you a better player,” he said. “Hudson Young and Strange have pulled up really well. It’s always a different feeling after a win, and you don’t feel the soreness as much.”
He also highlighted the increased self-belief that comes from playing in representative football. “They’ve only been back for 24 hours and what you do see is a lot of belief. You get a lot of self-belief out of playing well in representative football.”
Strange and Hudson Young are expected to play a key role in Canberra’s upcoming match against North Queensland, where the Raiders aim to break a six-year losing streak. The game will take place at GIO Stadium on Sunday. This match is particularly important for the Raiders, who suffered a 30-22 loss to the Dolphins in their previous round. The loss led to a fiery post-match press conference where Stuart expressed his frustration over a series of controversial refereeing decisions.
“I don’t think I need to go to the NRL … I wouldn’t have said it straight after the game. There is thought that goes into that,” Stuart said. “There have been times when I haven’t had much thought (where I’ve got) in trouble, but no, I didn’t have to go back to the review.”
Meanwhile, North Queensland is making several changes ahead of the match. Cowboys prop Matthew Lodge will replace co-captain Reuben Cotter, who has been rested after playing for the Maroons. Kiwi Wiremu Greig has joined the bench, while in-form winger Murray Taulagi returns from a concussion. North Queensland is looking to secure their ninth win in 11 matches, showing strong form heading into the game.
