Giteau name returns to the Canberra Raiders

Now, it's back involved with the Green Machine. Justin Giteau, the son of former Raiders captain Ron, will coach Canberra's under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup team.

To be fair, it's also synonymous with Canberra sport with Ron's other son Matt a former Wallabies and ACT Brumbies star, while his daughter Kristy's a dual international in both the rugby codes.

Originally, the returning Mick Crawley was going to look after the Raiders under-21s, but he's also in charge of the NRL side's attack.

Unfortunately, the draws of the two competitions don't match up - meaning Crawley had to be in two places at once.

Crawley will still be involved in the under-21 program, but Giteau has taken over the coaching reins.

He's previously coached the Tuggeranong Bushrangers in the Canberra Raiders Cup, coached the Monaro Colts under-23s representative side and has been an assistant in the NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg.

"Initially I was the assistant to Mick and then half the year Mick was going to be with the NRL and I was going to take the boys for him during that time," Giteau said.

"It was just getting a bit confusing whether he was coming or going, so Mick just decided - along with the rest of the boys up there - it'd be just as easy to give me the job and he can focus on doing the NRL stuff.

"[Mick] might've been with the NRL for a week or two at a time and then he'd be back with us.

"Some days he'd be travelling away on a Friday and he wouldn't be able to do certain sessions.

"It all aligned to make it a bit easier for everyone involved if I just took over and he focussed predominantly on first grade."

Giteau and Crawley share similar attacking philosophies, which should see the under-21s play a similar style to the NRL team - with the odd Giteau tweak here and there.

It could be a crucial factor in a 2022 season that has the ever-present threat of the coronavirus hanging over it.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has already called on the NRL to allow clubs access to players from their NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg sides - to help if the virus runs through a squad.

Sporting leagues around the world have been hit hard with players forced to isolate and games postponed as a result.

With the NRL reluctant to reschedule matches, it could see some of Giteau's charges called on by Stuart at some point.

"For me it was lucky that I have very similar beliefs in the way Mick wants the NRL [side] to attack so we align with our beliefs there," Giteau said.

"So that made my job even easier to walk into it because I didn't really need to think any further outside the box.

"We connect on the same level on what we think will work in attack. I was just lucky to fall into the job and lucky Mick came on board this year.

"I'm really enjoying it and it's been great to stay connected with the Flegg and the NRL staff as well."

Giteau's involvement with the club goes back to when he was a kid - when he used to run out as the mascot alongside Victor the Viking.

His dad joined the Green Machine for the 1983 season - the Raiders' second in the competition - after stints with Western Suburbs and Easts, captaining Canberra in 1984 and playing 78 games for the club.

Stuart's been widely praised for the way he's brought all the old boys back into the fold since he returned to the club in 2014.

They plan to hold their annual Forever Green night on May 7.

"Dad still loves getting back to the old boy days and even before I started doing the under-21s a few years ago he was raving about the connection that the old boys had, and the way Ricky had created a culture to connect the past and present players," Giteau said.

"It's still definitely there and he's pretty happy that I'm involved, and there's a good culture around everything we do in the 21s."