Ethan Strange earns first NSW call-up as Raiders face reshuffle
ethan strange is set to miss this week for the Canberra Raiders after earning his first call-up to the New South Wales Origin squad. The 21-year-old’s selection pushes Canberra into a short-term reshuffle, with the club also facing the possibility of being without him through the Origin period.
Strange’s first entrance
“The news is now official.” For Strange, “it’s his first entrance to the arena, a deserved recognition of how far he’s come and how fast he’s doing it.” He has been described as one of the premier young playmakers in the game, and the call-up tracks with a 2025 season that has shown marked improvement on what was already an impressive year.
Canberra’s immediate problem is simpler: the Raiders have to cover for him now. The likely answer is Daine Laurie, who is expected to step into the vacancy while Ricky weighs the rest of the side around a player who has become central to how the Raiders want to attack.
Raiders depth under strain
“The replacement for Strange is more clear – it will likely be Daine Laurie.” That clarity matters because Canberra’s attack at its best runs through Strange, Simi Sasagi and Moko breaking, and the side cannot just absorb his absence without adjusting how it moves the ball.
The wider squad picture is less comfortable. Canberra have limited backrow depth, with Zac Hosking the only healthy backrower and Ata Mariota described as a part timer, while Matty Nicholson and Noah Martin are indefinite and likely not back until well after Origin. That leaves fewer ways to patch over one change if the Origin period extends the interruption.
Round 14 and Round 16
Joe Roddy is back in round 14 and Simi Sasagi returns in round 16, giving Canberra a couple of reinforcements on the calendar while Strange is away from the lineup. For Ricky, the practical move is to lean on Laurie now and wait for those returns to ease the load later in the period.
That is the immediate read: Strange’s first Origin selection rewards his rise, but it also strips Canberra of a young playmaker at a point when the squad is already thin. The Raiders will have to make the adjustment without pretending it is a minor one.
