<p>The 2026 NRL season is less than a month away, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/round-1">Round 1</a> officially beginning on Saturday, 28 February in Las Vegas.</p> <p>In preparation for the new season, here at the Huddle, we’re running the rule over all 17 teams as we look to separate the contenders from the pretenders.</p> <p>We’ll analyse squad depth, each side’s draw, where the odds have them painted in the premiership picture and more, before offering up a predicted finish for each club.</p> <p>Last year's surprise&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl-futures-multi-hub/nrl-minor-premiership-2026-9840364">minor premiers</a>, the Canberra Raiders, are being slid under the microscope here, as we see if they can back up their stellar 2025 regular season. This is our Canberra Raiders 2026 season preview.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Canberra Raiders Players 2026</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Canberra Raiders will enter the 2026 season with a significant challenge in the halves following the departure of the experienced Jamal Fogarty.</p> <p>Coach Ricky Stuart has two young playmakers, 21-year-old Ethan Sanders and 19-year-old Coby Black, competing for the No.7 jersey. Sanders is expected to get the first opportunity, with Black recovering from a pre-season neck injury. The squad is otherwise stable, built around a formidable forward pack.</p> <p>The full Raiders squad for the upcoming NRL season is as follows:</p> <p><em>Ata Mariota, Chevy Stewart, Corey Horsburgh, Daine Laurie, Ethan Sanders, Ethan Strange, Hudson Young, Jake Clydsdale, Jayden Brailey, Joe Roddy, Joseph Tapine, Josh Papali’i, Kaeo Weekes, Matthew Timoko, Matty Nicholson, Manaia Waitere, Michael Asomua, Morgan Smithies, Myles Martin, Noah Martin, Owen Pattie, Savelio Tamale, Sebastian Kris, Simi Sasagi, Tom Starling, Xavier Savage, Vena Patuki-Case, Zac Hosking.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Canberra Raiders Main Man</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Ethan Strange</h3> <p>At just 21 years old, five-eighth Ethan Strange is already a cornerstone of the Raiders' attack. After an impressive 2025 season that saw him earn a place in the Kangaroos Ashes squad, he is poised to take on even greater responsibility this year.</p> <p>With the departure of veteran halfback Jamal Fogarty, Strange becomes the senior playmaker in a very young halves pairing.</p> <p>His running game, creativity, and big-game experience will be vital for guiding the team and his new halfback partner, likely Ethan Sanders.</p> <p>Strange will operate behind one of the most dominant forward packs in the NRL, featuring Joe Tapine, Josh Papalii, and Hudson Young.</p> <p>If Canberra hopes to repeat last season's success, Strange must elevate his game and lead the Green Machine's attack.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Canberra Raiders Draw Difficulty Rating</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Raiders enter the 2026 season as the hunted, not the hunters, after securing the minor premiership in 2025. This means every opponent will be aiming to knock them off their perch.</p> <p>The spotlight will be firmly on their untested halves combination. How quickly they can build chemistry will be a deciding factor in their season.</p> <p>With the pressure of backing up an overachieving year, the young playmakers will have little time to find their feet in the top flight.</p> <p>They’ll be reunited with Fogarty in Round 1&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/manly-sea-eagles-v-canberra-raiders-9835610">when they take on Manly,</a> then they have a tricky trip across the Tasman to face the Warriors.</p> <p>Difficulty rating: Medium.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Canberra Raiders Season Prediction 2026</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Canberra stunned the competition by finishing first last season but repeating that feat will be a monumental task. The loss of Jamal Fogarty's experience in the halves cannot be overstated.</p> <p>While their forward pack remains one of the best in the NRL, there are major questions about whether their attack can fire with two young playmakers at the helm.</p> <p>Much of their success will depend on Ethan Strange's ability to shoulder the creative load and the forwards' capacity to dominate the middle. It could also be the final season for club legend Josh Papalii, providing extra motivation.</p> <p>Expect the Raiders to be competitive in every match, but a slide down the ladder seems probable.</p> <p>Predicted finish:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl-futures-multi-hub/nrl-to-make-grand-final-2026-9840791">6th.</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Canberra Raiders Predicted Round 1 Team</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>1. Kaeo Weekes</p> <p>2. Savelio Tamale</p> <p>3. Matthew Timoko</p> <p>4. Sebastian Kris</p> <p>5. Xavier Savage</p> <p>6. Ethan Strange</p> <p>7. Ethan Sanders</p> <p>8. Corey Horsburgh</p> <p>9. Tom Starling</p> <p>10. Joseph Tapine</p> <p>11. Hudson Young</p> <p>12. Zac Hosking</p> <p>13. Morgan Smithies</p> <p>14. Owen Pattie</p> <p>15. Josh Papalii</p> <p>16. Ata Mariota</p> <p>17. Simi Sasagi</p>