RAIDERS halfback Sam Williams is weighing up his options and admits his demotion to the NSW Cup has delayed contract talks to remain in Canberra.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Williams played his third straight game for Mounties on Saturday after being squeezed out of the first-grade side to accommodate the return of captain Terry Campese.
The 22-year-old Cooma product, who only last month made his representative debut for Country, has been linked to the Penrith Panthers, but didn't rule out remaining at the club he has been at since he was 14.
''Contract talks got held up a little bit getting put back to reserves, but we're just working through it and hopefully get something done sooner rather than later,'' Williams said.
''If someone's going to come out and tell you you're going to be the starting half, you've got to think about it.
''But at the moment, I haven't got any closer to making up my mind because I really enjoy being in Canberra.''
Opportunities could be limited at the Raiders given Campese and Josh McCrone have clicked as the starting halves combination for two wins in as many weeks.
Talented teenager Anthony Milford has also impressed in a playmaking role and has been retained on the bench for Sunday's match with the Cronulla Sharks at Sharks Stadium.
Even before he was dropped after the Raiders' 30-12 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys, Williams was aware he needed a quick start to leapfrog McCrone to keep his place in the side once Campese returned from injury.
''[Campese] was always going to come back in and Josh has been one of our most consistent performers the past few years,'' Williams said.
''I knew I had to play exceptionally well and really put my hand up to try and get ahead of either [Campese] or [McCrone].
''The way it was, we had a little bit of an inconsistent start and I understood the reasons for going with [McCrone] and [Campese].''
In a sign of how well the Raiders are stocked in the halves, they also boast NSW under-20s representative Mitch Cornish in the National Youth Competition team.
Cornish, a Goulburn junior, is locked away until 2015 - the same year Campese's deal expires.
Two-time Country representative McCrone and Milford, who represented Queensland's under-20s, are both signed until the end of next season.
