2023 in review - Ethan Strange

[greeneyed]

2023 in review - Ethan Strange

Now it is season over for the Canberra Raiders, we will be reviewing all 30 players who pulled on a green jersey in first grade in 2023. So far, we have looked at the season of Sebastian Kris, Jordan Rapana, Albert Hopoate, Nick Cotric, James Schiller, Matt Timoko, Jarrod Croker, Harley Smith-Shields, Jack Wighton, Matt Frawley, Jamal Fogarty, Joseph Tapine, Josh Papalii, Emre Guler, Pasami Saulo, Ata Mariota, Zac Woolford, Tom Starling, Danny Levi, Hudson Young, Elliott Whitehead, Corey Harawira-Naera, Corey Horsburgh, Hohepa Puru, Adrian Trevilyan, Peter Hola and Brad Schneider.

Ethan Strange was signed by the Raiders from the Roosters in early 2022 on a three year deal, starting in 2023. The Central Coast junior was playing SG Ball at the time, but by July of 2022 he was in Canberra, in green and playing Jersey Flegg. He made his first appearance for the club in the Round 19 loss to the Bulldogs at Canberra Stadium - and went on to play four games in Flegg last year.

Strange began the 2023 season in Under 21s, but made his NSW Cup debut in the Round 6 loss to the Roosters at Kippax. By Round 24, he'd made his NRL debut. It turned out to be a bit of a tough day for the 18 year old, as the Raiders were overrun by the Storm in Melbourne. Usually a five eighth, he played at centre, and it wasn't fun defending on the edge. 48-2 at the end of the day. The first time the Raiders had failed to score at least one try in a match since 2013.



But it had still been a special week for Strange and his family. His father, John is the coach of the Roosters' NRLW team. His sister, Jasmin plays NRLW, moving from the Roosters to the Knights this year. With Ethan's debut, they became the first father-daughter-son trio to coach or play in the NRL and NRLW. There is no doubt they are a footy family. Ethan's mother, Adele, runs the Central Coast Roosters Academy. The family even built a mini football field, with lights, at their Central Coast home, when the children were younger.

John Strange was given special permission by the Roosters to coach his team remotely from Melbourne at noon, so he could be at the ground for Ethan's debut at 2:00pm that afternoon. His sister, also playing that afternoon, jovially accepted that no one in the family would be at her game that week.





Things had been better for Ethan in NSW Cup. He played 16 games in that grade, as well as half a dozen games in Flegg. He scored two tries in "reggies", while posting six try assists, seven line break assists, eight offloads and five forced drop outs. He also averaged 71 running metres, 23 kicking metres and 14 tackles per game. His tackle efficiency (85 per cent) was a step above his single NRL game.

The turning point in his season came along in mid July, when he represented the Blues in the Under 19s Origin match. He made a real splash in that game, getting a hat trick of tries from centre. Named man of the match. He seemed to take a lot of confidence from that and he lifted to another level in Cup. It laid the platform for his NRL debut.



When coach Ricky Stuart selected Strange for first grade, he compared the young five eighth to the likes of Laurie Daley and Jack Wighton - while stressing he was not comparing him to Laurie Daley and Jack Wighton.

"You've got players like Laurie Daley, Jack Wighton who came into first grade through fullback and centre," Stuart said at the time.

"I'm not going to put that tag on Ethan but he's a very similar athlete to those two. Ethan has got a running game similar to the same strengths Laurie and Jack have had in the way they run the football."



It was still very high praise. It seems that Stuart's plan is to give Strange a good shot at replacing Jack Wighton - who is heading to the Rabbitohs - in 2024. New recruit, Kaeo Weekes, will compete for the role, but I get the sense that Strange is "Plan A".

The club has looked for more experienced players to take over the No. 6 jersey. But there is a dearth of halves on the market right now. In my view it is better to go with youth, better to see what players like Strange, now aged 19, can do in first grade. It is better not to block their path with fringe players from outside. The club and fans will need to be patient. The path is rarely smooth for young halves. This is a time for rebuilding. A time for a new generation. And I'll tell you what. I'm excited.

What is your view on Ethan Strange's season? Tell us below.

Ethan Strange’s 2023: NR

2023 Statistics: (Stats from Fox Sports Lab)
Games: 1
Minutes: 80
Points: 0
Tries: 0
Try assists: 0
Try contributions: 0
Total try involvements: 0
Total kicks: 0
Total runs: 8
All run metres: 64
Tackle breaks: 1
Offloads: 0
Line breaks: 0
Line break assists: 0
Tackles: 9
1 on 1 tackles: 2
Missed tackles: 3
Ineffective tackles: 0
Tackle efficiency: 75 per cent
Try causes: 2
Line break causes: 2
Errors: 2
Penalties conceded: 1

* NR - Not rated. Players with two appearances or less do not receive a season rating.

[Botman]

Very exciting young player
His one game wasn't great. He had some defensive issues but i also don't think we did him favours in that regard by playing him on the left when he's a right side player. IMO it will be coaching malpractice if he's picked to start the year in FG and is played on the left.

I'm looking forward to seeing the young bloke get a shot next year and riding the highs and lows. I hope fans give him a bit of grace to grow into the role and not be expected to be a complete, well rounded player from the jump

[-PJ-]

I’m on board with him.

Heaps of potential, the toughest pre season ever will sort him out.

[denissnowy]

Pass

[RedRaider]

Only one match to go on so a rating is of little value imo particularly as he was played at left center. The MOTM performance he put on for NSW U/19 against Qld was superb and he did it from right center. He will get a chance at 5/8 in 2024 and unless we pick up a player like Welsby then he is likely to start the season there. He is still only 19 with his date of birth 16 August 2004. We all wish him well.

https://www.nrl.com/players/state-of-or ... n-strange/

[Matt]

The kid was thrown to the wolves vs Storm. TBH he wasn't the worst player out there that day, but very, very, very few deserved to be fed afterwards.

I'd say he has the inside running for the 6 next yr. This was earnt in Cup, so the promise is there. We will see what happens.

[Matt]

Very exciting young player
His one game wasn't great. He had some defensive issues but i also don't think we did him favours in that regard by playing him on the left when he's a right side player. IMO it will be coaching malpractice if he's picked to start the year in FG and is played on the left.

I'm looking forward to seeing the young bloke get a shot next year and riding the highs and lows. I hope fans give him a bit of grace to grow into the role and not be expected to be a complete, well rounded player from the jump

I suspect you added this as you already know the answer

[Bay53]

What hasn’t been talked about here was how good he was in NSW Cup after he made his debut. He was a big part of our run to the finals. In the end we ran out of forwards and got smashed in the semi but Strange playing at 5/8 was massive in every game leading up to there.

[Finchy]

Only one match to go on so a rating is of little value imo particularly as he was played at left center. The MOTM performance he put on for NSW U/19 against Qld was superb and he did it from right center. He will get a chance at 5/8 in 2024 and unless we pick up a player like Welsby then he is likely to start the season there. He is still only 19 with his date of birth 16 August 2004. We all wish him well.

https://www.nrl.com/players/state-of-or ... n-strange/

Yikes. Born in 2004. Makes you feel old. The kid wasn’t even born when Todd Carney debuted, and he’s only in his 30s.

[dubby]

Looking forward to seeing him develop.

[-TW-]

The kid was thrown to the wolves vs Storm. TBH he wasn't the worst player out there that day, but very, very, very few deserved to be fed afterwards.

I'd say he has the inside running for the 6 next yr. This was earnt in Cup, so the promise is there. We will see what happens.

Was nowhere near as bad as it was made out to be

We were down in the corner behind the tryline and he got stitched up by Wighton a number of times.

How Wighton got a free pass for his poor defensive decisions astounds me

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[Raidernation]

The kid was thrown to the wolves vs Storm. TBH he wasn't the worst player out there that day, but very, very, very few deserved to be fed afterwards.

I'd say he has the inside running for the 6 next yr. This was earnt in Cup, so the promise is there. We will see what happens.

Was nowhere near as bad as it was made out to be

We were down in the corner behind the tryline and he got stitched up by Wighton a number of times.

How Wighton got a free pass for his poor defensive decisions astounds me

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

This why next season is going to be rough. Ethan was bad defensively. He is a kid against a good team, it happens. Blaming everyone else to defend him is crazy. Did the same thing to rapana when Savage first started and he gave the ball to Savage and he was tackled out. Everyone blaming rapana. Kid makes a mistake, it happens, he is a kid, get better and if you can't someone will take your place. I like Ethan and I think he will be long term NRL player but he played poorly against the storm.

[Matt]

The kid was thrown to the wolves vs Storm. TBH he wasn't the worst player out there that day, but very, very, very few deserved to be fed afterwards.

I'd say he has the inside running for the 6 next yr. This was earnt in Cup, so the promise is there. We will see what happens.

Was nowhere near as bad as it was made out to be

We were down in the corner behind the tryline and he got stitched up by Wighton a number of times.

How Wighton got a free pass for his poor defensive decisions astounds me

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I totally agree. In a team that got spanked, he wasn't the worst guy. I agree Wighton was worse. From memory he was probably top third of our best... not hard on the day though.

[NoMan]

What hasn’t been talked about here was how good he was in NSW Cup after he made his debut. He was a big part of our run to the finals. In the end we ran out of forwards and got smashed in the semi but Strange playing at 5/8 was massive in every game leading up to there.

I thought he was quiet early in the year and didn't have much involvement, although I saw less games then you. After that Origin game he really seemed to come into his own though and assert himself as the first option for the team.

[Botman]

The same people who defended Stuart because he doesnt have the cattle are going to be the first people to **** can kids like this if Stuart fails to get the most out of their considerable talent and then the blame the talent
Rinse and repeat.

[Azza]

When coach Ricky Stuart selected Strange for first grade, he compared the young five eighth to the likes of Laurie Daley and Jack Wighton - while stressing he was not comparing him to Laurie Daley and Jack Wighton.

Clear as mud.

[dubby]

When coach Ricky Stuart selected Strange for first grade, he compared the young five eighth to the likes of Laurie Daley and Jack Wighton - while stressing he was not comparing him to Laurie Daley and Jack Wighton.

Clear as mud.

By saying there are similarities?

[PNGRaider37]

kris is suspended opening rounds he probably gets a run at 3 with weekes at 6