How Raiders' main man inspired 'shy' young guns to find their voice

The halfback knows he's got to step up in a big way this season, as the Raiders saw five-eighth Jack Wighton depart for South Sydney after last year.

After an entire off-season of speculation, Ethan Strange or Kaeo Weekes are finally set to be named in the No.6 jersey on Tuesday ahead of Canberra's season-opener against Newcastle on Thursday night.

Both potential five-eighths are inexperienced at NRL level, but they're the top two options the Raiders have to replace Wighton, and Fogarty made it his mission to make sure they were both ready in pre-season.

"I've got to talk a lot more now, but also when the young fellas came in at first, they weren't shy but they didn't have the confidence to tell the big boys like Papa [Josh Papali'i] and Taps [Joe Tapine] what to do," Fogarty told The Canberra Times.

"They've gotten a lot better at that, and now feel more comfortable.

"For me, I just want to give our team a good opportunity to throw the ball around, play our style of footy and defend well."

Fogarty admitted it was tough to adjust to not having his friend and teammate Wighton in Canberra anymore, but he's upbeat about what 19-year-old Strange and NRL 12-gamer Weekes can offer the Green Machine.

And out of respect he wants to end the Wighton talk and fully focus on the guys the Raiders have "here and now".

"It's been very different not having Jacko here, but I'm pretty excited about the season ahead," the 30-year-old said.

"I've had a lot of time with Ethan and Kaeo and I'm looking forward to the challenge that we have.

"Hopefully whoever I'm playing with we can get plenty of games in and build our combination really well.

"To be honest, I think they've both played their roles in pre-season brilliantly.

"There's not one of them that stands out more than the other for me. In the trials they stuck to their strengths and what works for them well, and it's going to be a tough call for Ricky."

As well as being the main man charged with leading the halves duo in the capital, Fogarty is also a vice-captain this season and will return to full-time goal-kicking duties after Jarrod Croker's efforts last year.

That's a lot of weight on the shoulders of a guy that has only been at the Raiders for two seasons and flies well under the radar among his NRL halfback counterparts.

The reality though is that Fogarty looks more comfortable than ever at the Raiders, and having re-signed before Christmas to stay in Canberra until 2026, the Queenslander is leaning into his leadership role.

He's well-liked by everyone at the club, and has come out of his shell more and more each year, happy to joke around in the locker room and even cheekily tease his teammates on social media.

"I'm always trying to have fun in every situation, especially with the young fellas," Fogarty said.

"With the banter we have it builds a nice little relationship and some camaraderie."

The main thing that's changed for Fogarty is how he's needed to manage his body and fitness in his 30s so he can play as long as possible.

Fogarty believes he's come a long way with his game since arriving in the capital in an injury-hit 2022, and he is determined to improve even more in the coming seasons, starting this week.

Backed by coach Ricky Stuart, Fogarty feels confident that he can deliver despite many NRL experts picking the Raiders for a cellar-dwelling season.

"That stuff doesn't bother us. We want to let our footy do the talking," he said.

"Whether they're good or bad headlines, our process ain't going to change.

"If I can defend really well and steer us around, that's going to give me confidence. I'm never someone that wants to be in the spotlight, I just want to win games and play my best."

NRL round 1: Newcastle Knights v Canberra Raiders, Thursday, March 7, 8pm at Newcastle