The 26-year-old from Wigan was contracted to the Raiders until the end of 2022, but has fielded interest from other clubs for next season.

As reported in The Canberra Times last week, Sutton was deliberating between an offer from the Bulldogs and one tabled by the Raiders to retain his services.

It is understood Sutton made his decision over the weekend to join the Sydney club over the Green Machine in 2023.

Sutton's partner is from Sydney, and the Raiders forward stocks are as healthy as they've ever been with Josh Papalii and Joe Tapine leading the pack, along with Corey Horsborough and former Bulldog Adam Elliott bolstering the squad. There are also several young Raiders emerging as future stars in Trey Mooney and Emre Guler.

Sutton has played all 58 NRL games for Canberra since arriving from England in 2019.

The Raiders begin their 2022 NRL season on Friday night when they take on the Cronulla Sharks at GIO Stadium.

Ricky Stuart is set to lock in his team for the season-opener on Tuesday with some minor selection headaches.

MORE SPORT

Canberra winger Jordan Rapana says picking young gun Xavier Savage at fullback ahead of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad would be a "kick in the face" to the latter.

Nicoll-Klokstad, who starred in the Raiders' 2019 grand final run, is expected to start the season in the No.1 jersey after missing most of last year with a neck injury.

That helped allow Savage, 19, to debut and play three games where he showed he's one of the game's most exciting youngsters, encouraged again by scintillating trial form.

But if there is a decision for Stuart to make at fullback, Rapana says there is only one choice to make.

"I'm not gonna beat around the bush, Charnze is one of the best fullbacks in the game," Rapana said.

"Xave is a great up and coming young gun but I believe he's still got a fair way to go to take that spot off Charnze.

"It would be a kick in the face to Charnze to say that spot is in jeopardy ... he's a world-class player, it's good we've got young guns pushing but that spot is Charnze's."

But Nicoll-Klokstad, 26, was full of praise for Savage and said he could never match it with the former Queensland Junior Athletics champion for pace.

"He's got a lot of raw talent ... some things I won't be able to learn, and you can't teach," he said.

"I'm looking forward to what the future holds for Xavier, where that is I'm unsure, but I messaged him when he said he was playing and I just said, you know that position is yours to lose, no one owns the jersey and it's up for grabs every year."

One option Canberra have is to play Savage on a wing, particularly while Rapana serves a two-game ban.

Savage said he felt more comfortable at fullback but saw his skillset could make him an asset on the wing.

"It's a competitive sport and you always fight for positions," he said.

"Charnze is a top class player, he's very knowledgeable about the game and he's been doing this for a while now.

"I'm just starting out my career, at that phase now where I'm just happy wherever working for the team."

Whether or not it's in round one, or even this season, Savage looms as an X-factor that could have Canberra fans excited for years to come, and the teenager issued an ominous warning.

"I feel better, faster than last year and really comfortable at the back," he added.

"It was more a focus on speed under fatigue this pre-season, more short, sharp stuff and I'm feeling a bit quicker.

"I've improved a lot over the last 12 months and I'm very proud of myself for where I am now."

- with AAP

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: