Jamal Fogarty is critical to the Raiders’ performance in season 2025 and beyond. Photo: Jaye Grieshaber.
The mere suggestion of a Raiders roster in 2026 without veteran halfback Jamal Fogarty is enough to send a shudder up the spine of every Canberra fan.
The Raiders have an option to re-sign Fogarty for 2026, but they need to activate that clause before Round 6 – that’s two weeks away.
Fogarty has proven to be crucial in guiding a young Raiders outfit around the park with a kicking game on par with the top number sevens in the premiership.
I would argue that Canberra has struggled to find a quality halfback since Ricky Stuart’s forced departure to the Bulldogs at the end of the 1998 season.
Stuart himself would know better than anybody in the club’s history the importance of a reliable playmaker.
When he went down with a broken leg in the penultimate round in 1993, so too did the Raiders’ chances of winning the title as they limply exited the playoffs without firing a shot after being the competition leaders up until that point.
From 1998 to the arrival of Fogarty in 2022, the Raiders have had a succession of halfbacks, with Andrew McFadden, Aidan Sezer and George Williams probably the pick of the bunch.
Fogarty concentrating on a penalty kick. Photo: Screenshot.
The recruitment of Matt Orford in 2011 was seen by many as an indication of just how desperate the club was to find a genuine number seven. Orford’s time at Canberra was short-lived, with injury restricting the former Dally M winner to just six games.
When Williams signed in 2020, it looked as though the Raiders’ lengthy halfback search was over. His premature departure in 2021 was deemed a major setback.
With this in mind, Fogarty’s signing from the Titans was subsequently viewed as a relief more than anything else.
In his time so far with the Raiders, he has proven to be a pivotal player. His value is amplified as his three-month stint on the sidelines due to a bicep injury last season demonstrated. The Raiders struggled in his absence.
Canberra this season boasts one of the youngest backlines, so Fogarty’s experience is seen as being crucial. That experience, no doubt, is one of the reasons he has been linked with Manly for 2026.
So, as we reach decision day on his contract, there is evidence enough to suggest the Raiders should move heaven and earth to keep him in the capital.
