With about 1000 NRL games walking out the door, Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart is focusing on the next gen.
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He'll back his youth and has laid down the challenge for them to claim their spots in what's set to be a gruelling pre-season - both mentally and physically.
The rewards will not only be spots in the heart of the Raiders' forward pack, but in the spine as well.
Ethan Strange, Chevy Stewart, Xavier Savage and Kaeo Weekes all have the opportunity to put their hands up for the Green Machine's No.1 and No.6 jerseys.
The Raiders have lost Jarrod Croker (307 NRL games) and Jack Wighton (242) this season, with the former retiring and the latter moving to South Sydney.
And it's shaping as captain Elliott Whitehead (189) and Jordan Rapana's (201) last campaigns.
That's a whopping 939 games of experience set to be lost in the space of 12 months - 1116 first-grade games if you count Whitehead's stint in the English Super League before he moved to Canberra.
The Raiders have already blooded youth in the outside backs with Sebastian Kris, Matt Timoko and Albert Hopoate all establishing themselves as NRL players.
A similar process has begun in the middle, Ata Mariota, Hohepa Puru and Trey Mooney showing they've got the potential to do the same.
Now the spine is set to get a similar revamp alongside halfback Jamal Fogarty.
"Over the next 12 months we're going to be transitioning into a new era," Stuart told The Canberra Times.
"We'll be losing 1000 games of NRL experience with Jarrod and Jack leaving this year, Elliott and Jordan being their last season in '24.
"So there is an enormous amount of experience that we'll be losing and it's going to be a very challenging period for us as a club, but I'm certainly looking at it as a positive and a massive opportunity ... to afford our younger players a fantastic opportunity to become regular NRL players.
"There's going to be times in this transition ... where there will be inconsistencies whilst we're developing this young group.
"I'm excited by what lies ahead for us. I'm really looking forward to these younger guys really grasping their opportunity and becoming the next generation."
Stuart has opened the door for the next batch of young guns to put their hands up for a starting spot come round one in 2024.
Wighton joining the Rabbitohs and Matt Frawley heading off to Leeds means five-eighth is up for grabs.
Both Rapana and Kris filled the fullback role this year following Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad's return to the New Zealand Warriors and Savage's injury woes.
Strange, 19, Savage, 21, Stewart, 18, and Weekes, 21, all have a shot at filling both of those roles.
Both Strange and Weekes can play in the halves, while Weekes, Savage and Stewart can slot in at fullback.
Stuart said how they handled what is expected to be a tough pre-season will determine who gets first crack.
"Xavier Savage had a horrendous year with injury and disruptions off the field, but he's still a very young NRL player," he said.
"We've got Chevy Stewart, who I'm hoping will taste first grade next season.
"I've got Ethan Strange, who is going to get an opportunity to take over as a No.6.
"I'm hoping Kaeo Weekes is signed with us, and they're going to get their opportunity to become NRL players.
"They've got the talent. They're going to get the opportunity now and that's when you pass it over to them.
"The person that trains the best and performs the best will get the first crack."
Stuart didn't want to discuss the NSW Blues coaching job, which he's been heavily linked to since Brad Fittler's decision to step down.
Instead, he just wants to set up the next generation of the Green Machine.
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He was the favourite to do a third stint as Blues coach, with the possibility touted he would be part of a coaching dream team with former Raiders teammate Craig Bellamy.
But Canberra chief executive Don Furner told NSW Rugby League boss David Trodden of Stuart's decision to focus solely on the Green Machine.
"I don't want to be drawn upon it. I've got a job here to do and it's going to be even more difficult job over the next couple of years with what is, from a young player's point of view, a tough transition," Stuart said.
"It's not only physical, it's a mental challenge. It's a long season and there's going to be a lot of young players make their debuts this season and then it's going to be up to them to keep their positions."
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