Eels half Ethan Sanders agrees to terms with Raiders for three year deal from 2025

[Raidernation]

If we sign Sanders i think he's going to be firmly in the mix for the LH position in 2025.
I think thats part of the pitch to get him here, as it was Chevy, that's our selling point. You get fast tracked to FG because we need elite talent at these key positions

If we complete this signing i think Sanders will be in the 2025 mix as much as Chevy is right now in the 2024 mix. It WILL BE early. But he'll be in the mix sooner than we think he should be right now.

I've said before that sanders has one thing that will get him into grade and that's his long kicking game. He pretty much $#!@ the bed in the trial but as a base he is an excellent kicker. I expect his defense to get better due to his size and movement but it's there's no guarantee it's anything more than serviceable just yet. To be honest I haven't seen any playmaking from him either. He is young and needs to develop in reserves but right now he would be below fogs, weekes and strange for 7. He needs a really big jump this season in cup to even be in the conversation. Let's see how he goes.

[Botman]

Agreed. I think he's got an NRL long kicking game today, i think defensively he'd struggle at first but would quickly make strides
Thats why i think he'll be firmly in the thoughts sometime in 2025 for LH. I think spending a year in NSW Cup in 2024, be that here or Parramatta, it's going to send him on a similar trajectory to Chevy where he makes big leaps quicker than many might think

Now i no longer think Chevy is going to start the year at fullback for us but i do think by seasons end he'll be entrenched as our long term #1... could that be the case in 2025 with Sanders where he still starts the year in NSW cup but by seasons end he's the no question LH starter in 2026? Yeah i dont think that's out of the question.

[Rickmando]

It’s laughable reading all the folks on this thread willing to write this bloke off based on a meaningless trial game in February. Why are we forensically picking apart his game? He’s got plenty of upside to build into it, he’s nowhere near the finished product.

He’s done everything required up to this point - played junior reps, developed his game against his peers. The wraps are there for a reason.

The jump up to playing against men isn’t a linear step.

Sanders needs to be given as much rope as possible to develop. He gets as many chances as the club can afford. Given the scarcity of even league-average NRL halves that make it to market, I’d love to hear where else we are supposed to try and get a decent halfback from? If we pull off this signing, Rick and Don get a lot of credit for it - it’s a huge coup to sign such a highly rated junior in a premium position.

[NoMan]

Apart from last week I've only seen him in a couple of SG Ball games, the under 19's and then the weekly lower grade highlights and I'd hazard a guess that's more than most have. There's definitely a lot more to him than kicking in that small sample size at least.

Under the coaches current football philosophy kicking would be more than enough anyway.

[Roger Kenworthy]

It’s laughable reading all the folks on this thread willing to write this bloke off based on a meaningless trial game in February. Why are we forensically picking apart his game? He’s got plenty of upside to build into it, he’s nowhere near the finished product.

He’s done everything required up to this point - played junior reps, developed his game against his peers. The wraps are there for a reason.

The jump up to playing against men isn’t a linear step.

Sanders needs to be given as much rope as possible to develop. He gets as many chances as the club can afford. Given the scarcity of even league-average NRL halves that make it market, I’d love to hear where else we are supposed to try and get a decent halfback from? If we pull off this signing, Rick and Don get a lot of credit for it - it’s a huge coup to sign such a highly rated junior in a premium position.

Agree. That was a makeshift Parra lineup just as much as ours was. Those combinations in game would have all been fresh for them, and it's not as if he had Greg Inglis running off him at left centre.

[julian87]

I agree the trial showed he needs more time playing that level since he hasn’t played NSW Cup yet.

But if he’s a potential starting half in 2025, you want him here asap.
Very important position, you want him in system when you can.

I don't think he is a potential starting half in 25. Do you, given we have Fogarty on our books?

Fogarty will be a 31 year old halfback with maybe 100 career games under his belt. Significantly fewer than Sam Williams had at the same age.

If this bloke signs and develops quickly then Fogarty gets forgotten. Pretty simple.

[Finchy]

Fogarty will be a 31 year old halfback with maybe 100 career games under his belt. Significantly fewer than Sam Williams had at the same age.

Not really. Sam Williams played a grand total of 107 NRL games by age 30. Barring injury, Fogarty will have close to that by the end of this year, prior to turning 31 in December.

[zim]

They got a bit of a workover this week by a good Penrith cup side. We won't have to be worried about any misconceptions Sanders might have about how much hard work is required to make the next step up.
We have them in round 5 at home.

[Love4Noa]

As far as I know we have Fog until end 2026, right?
Strange has blown the gates open in the halves. He's bolted. It's made Weekes immediately second fiddle - and he didn't come here to play Reggies.

The Fog has been (and is) excellent. The absolute joy i'm getting in the reality marrying my perception that Wighton was a handbrake on this team is beyond comprehension.

Where does Sanders fit? If we get him next year - Fog has another 2 years....perhaps 2026 is a transition to retirement? He'll be 34ish?
Who knows.

But we are talent deep at the moment. Do we....and I say this in quiet whispers hidden deep beneath the cesspool that is GIO.....do we need Sanders in 2025?
Sure we'd love him - but Fog and Strange are giving me a sense of euphoria I haven't felt since Papa 2019.

[simo]

Sanders fits in reggies for as long ad he takes to overtake fog. The best thing we can do is get him in and give him time to mature his game. It probably benefits him to stay for the whole year at the eels to get a wider experience before joining us next year

[-TW-]

The amount of arguments I've had with people about Wighton being our issue

"Ha you guys are gonna suck without Wighton" "Did you see the games we played without him and how much better we looked"
"He's still your best player"

Strange (from a small sample size) is showing he's bringing the same level of defensive contact, with a more natural ability to be a 5/8.

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[Botman]

Fog is 30 years old, there is a very natural off ramp from Fog into Sanders
It will benefit Sanders for us to be able to do that with Strange established in the team as a RH, though he is so far putting to bed my vocal concerns about potential struggles as a LH.

[zim]

As far as I know we have Fog until end 2026, right?
Strange has blown the gates open in the halves. He's bolted. It's made Weekes immediately second fiddle - and he didn't come here to play Reggies.

The Fog has been (and is) excellent. The absolute joy i'm getting in the reality marrying my perception that Wighton was a handbrake on this team is beyond comprehension.

Where does Sanders fit? If we get him next year - Fog has another 2 years....perhaps 2026 is a transition to retirement? He'll be 34ish?
Who knows.

But we are talent deep at the moment. Do we....and I say this in quiet whispers hidden deep beneath the cesspool that is GIO.....do we need Sanders in 2025?
Sure we'd love him - but Fog and Strange are giving me a sense of euphoria I haven't felt since Papa 2019.

We need Sanders in the squad but he won't be first choice half in 2025 and that's not a bad thing for us or Sanders if we're winning games. Strange will have a year under his belt by the time Chevy is handed the keys to fullback. Both those guys will be locked in first graders by the time Sanders is handed the keys to 7.
It all depends on how much Sanders develops physically over his next preseason whether he even gets a proper call up in 2025 if Fog gets an injury.

[FROG]

Sanders fits in reggies for as long ad he takes to overtake fog. The best thing we can do is get him in and give him time to mature his game. It probably benefits him to stay for the whole year at the eels to get a wider experience before joining us next year

I agree. I've got no problem with him playing reggies with the eels. I like the idea of him training with Moses and Brown for the year... Filling in FG as required, then joining our squad next year with a year experience playing against men. Feels like he'd be developing his game without any pressure or talk about will he/won't he play firsts..

[Beejay]

Disagree. Get him here as soon as possible (without selling the farm), so we are in controll of his development.

In saying that, he's young and might not even turn into a first grader. But he's a talented young half and worth spending time developing.
The more young talented guys we have nipping at the heels of our first grade team the better our team will be now and in the future.

[Lui_Bon]

Disagree. Get him here as soon as possible (without selling the farm), so we are in controll of his development.

In saying that, he's young and might not even turn into a first grader. But he's a talented young half and worth spending time developing.
The more young talented guys we have nipping at the heels of our first grade team the better our team will be now and in the future.

I'm with you. I'd rather he came here and trained with Fog and Strange (and even Weekes) than stayed as an expendable at Parra with Moses and Brown. Who knows where he'd learn more, but surely familiarity with "future" teammates is going to be a bonus over training with blokes who don's actually care what he does. There's also the question of learning a "club system". If we have one, he's better off having it inculcated early.

[Danaman137]

Is anyone else worried that with the Bunnies sudden halfback crisis, come round 6 they swoop in and sign Sanders to be their starting halfback next year?


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[bonehead]

Is anyone else worried that with the Bunnies sudden halfback crisis, come round 6 they swoop in and sign Sanders to be their starting halfback next year?


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no I don't think they can just go looking for another young half, they'll want an immediate fix

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[-PJ-]

Who cares about Souffs ?

If they need a half ring Tugger.

[RedRaider]

Disagree. Get him here as soon as possible (without selling the farm), so we are in controll of his development.

In saying that, he's young and might not even turn into a first grader. But he's a talented young half and worth spending time developing.
The more young talented guys we have nipping at the heels of our first grade team the better our team will be now and in the future.

I'm with you. I'd rather he came here and trained with Fog and Strange (and even Weekes) than stayed as an expendable at Parra with Moses and Brown. Who knows where he'd learn more, but surely familiarity with "future" teammates is going to be a bonus over training with blokes who don's actually care what he does. There's also the question of learning a "club system". If we have one, he's better off having it inculcated early.

100% agree Lui and Beejay. If Sanders becomes available to the Raiders after Round 6 let's get him here and into the Raiders system. No offence meant to Adam Cook our current NSW Cup half back, but the Colonel has a much higher potential and I would prefer he do his learning in Lime green asap.

[-PJ-]

Let’s just sign him first.

This has gone on way too long.

[Billy Walker]

I don’t know why Ricky isn’t picking the kid in firsts?

[-PJ-]

Cuz he’s an Eel.

[Billy Walker]

Cuz he’s an Eel.

Who? Ricky?

[Green Blogger]

Is anyone else worried that with the Bunnies sudden halfback crisis, come round 6 they swoop in and sign Sanders to be their starting halfback next year?


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no I don't think they can just go looking for another young half, they'll want an immediate fix

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Not worried about Souths at all. There are a lot of reasons ($$$) that Sanders is focused on coming to Canberra. It would be tough for a club like Souths with their roster to match those numbers for a player who has not made his NRL debut yet.

[Dylan’s Raiders]

Adam Cook is looking decent in cup and the trial game but he hasn’t played first grade since his cameo for us… point is, we don’t have a backup halfback.

The long term goal is
1. Chevy
6. Strange
7. Sanders
16. Guler

So let’s get him playing in a better NSW cup side with Chevy asap.

[The Nickman]

Adam Cook is looking decent in cup and the trial game but he hasn’t played first grade since his cameo for us… point is, we don’t have a backup halfback.

The long term goal is
1. Chevy
6. Strange
7. Sanders
16. Guler

So let’s get him playing in a better NSW cup side with Chevy asap.

You forgot Hopoate.

[bayraider]

So does anyone actually know,
when can we actually sign announce this signing?
Straight after the Parramatta game? Do we have to wait another 10 days cooling off period after that? Does anyone actually know?

[greeneyed]

No one is supposed to negotiate with him until after Round 6. Then if the Raiders reach an agreement, the player notifies their current club they are prepared to accept the offer. The current club then has a 10 day negotiation window to make a counteroffer. Once the 10 day window finishes, the player can accept the offer they wish. They do not have to take the highest offer.

[Azza]

This has the potential to be the biggest farce on the GH since the Carney re-resigning thread. Hope Saunders signs.

[Finchy]

So does anyone actually know,
when can we actually sign announce this signing?
Straight after the Parramatta game? Do we have to wait another 10 days cooling off period after that? Does anyone actually know?

We can’t because he hasn’t signed anything yet, he’s under contract at Parra

[greeneyed]

Rivals circle young gun Eels

Parramatta are already fighting a losing battle to keep gun half Ethan Sanders at the club and they may have their hands full as they bid to sign debutant Blaize Talagi to a new deal as well. Sanders is expected to join Canberra next season, the Raiders known to be keen on the teenager before the NRL introduced new rules which prevented him speaking to rivals prior to round six.

Talagi is in a similar boat given he is yet to play six games of senior rugby league, which means he is prevented from speaking to rival clubs about his future. However, the clock is ticking on the Eels as they attempt to tie him down to a long term deal before the round six deadline expires.

Read more: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... abe6ad30a7

All that sound fairly positive.

[Billy Walker]

Not if you’re a Parra supporter it doesn’t

[bayraider]

So by what GE is saying with the new rules,
If everything goes as is expected
we can assume he will be announced by the end
of April?

[Finchy]

So by what GE is saying with the new rules,
If everything goes as is expected
we can assume he will be announced by the end
of April?

If he decides to actually sign with us, perhaps