Rising Raider Hudson Young has revealed Canberra pair Corey Harawira-Naera and Corey Horsburgh had been enjoying strong preseason campaigns prior to being charged for separate drink-driving incidents over the festive period.
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Young, who spent the weekend at his first Emerging Blues camp in Sydney with NSW coach Brad Fittler, has been training closely with Harawira-Naera, the pair training both as middle forwards and as edge back rowers.
Horsburgh, meanwhile, has been fighting hard to cement a spot in coach Ricky Stuart's round one 17 after missing most of 2020 with a foot injury. Both players will continue training while awaiting their court dates.
"Big Red has been going awesome - he's had a very tough injury and tough run there last year," Young said.
"He hung in there well and he's back now fighting for a position, it's only going to strengthen our team with Corey [Horsburgh] coming back.
"Me and Corey [Harawira-Naera] have been swapping in and out, both training in the middle as well. Both of us are being versatile and training hard."
Harawira-Naera and Horsburgh are now likely to face a club-imposed suspension for round one after being charge for DUI offenses. Former Bulldog Harawira-Naera was caught on Christmas Eve, while Horsburgh was charged on January 3. Both are now awaiting a summons to the ACT Magistrates Court.
Their looming suspensions complicates things on-field for Stuart, who is looking for a permanent replacement in the number 11 jersey vacated by John Bateman following his departure to Wigan.
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"Hopefully i can put my hand up and take that number 11 jersey, I've been training in the middle as well so we'll have to wait and see what Ricky thinks is best," Young said.
"I learned a lot off John and I'm close mates with him, it's sad to see him leave but he taught me a lot when he was here. He was always helping me when I had any questions and that sort of stuff.
"Stick [Stuart] is going to put the best team out in round one and who's put in the hard yards this preseason. It's only a good thing to have selection headaches and it's going to help us in the back end of the season as well."
Young joined Raiders teammate Emre Guler in Sydney for Fittler's emerging Blues camp at the weekend.
The pair traveled together to Sydney expecting a grueling training session, but footy boots were not required.
"It was more of a meet and greet thing and we learned about Origin, where they went wrong last year and did a few quizzes on the past Origin teams," Young said.
"I didn't go too good actually, I'm usually a bit of a nerd when it comes to footy. We didn't play on the field at all, no physical stuff. Obviously the goal is to get into the big [NSW] squad and just keep trying to work towards that."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
