Canberra will offer Jamal Fogarty a one-year extension, with Ricky Stuart hopeful he can stave off the threat of an anticipated longer deal for the halfback at Manly.
Fresh off Canberra’s big 50-12 win over Parramatta on Saturday, Stuart will fly to the Gold Coast this week to meet with Fogarty’s management around a deal for next season.
With Canberra initially holding the rights to extend Fogarty’s current deal into 2026, Stuart will let the deadline for that option lapse before negotiating a new contract.
It comes with the Sea Eagles expected to offer Fogarty a two-year deal, seeing the 31-year-old as a replacement for Daly Cherry-Evans.
Asked about Fogarty’s future on Saturday night, Stuart gave a four-minute response in which the Raiders coach detailed why he wanted to keep the No.7.
But Stuart also conceded he could not offer Fogarty a multi-year deal, with plans for 21-year-old Ethan Sanders and 20-year-old Ethan Strange to be Canberra’s long-term halves.
Still, he hoped Fogarty would stick around to help mentor the pair, and did not rule out another extension being negotiated with the 31-year-old next season.
“We want to keep Jamal,” Stuart said.
“We want to sit down and renegotiate another year with him.
“We will sit down with Jamal early this week and we will tell him exactly what we’ve got. He was very happy in regards to what I discussed with him early this week.
“I am honest to players and sometimes that hurts me. How do I know what is going to happen in a year’s time?
“There could be another deal, we might be sitting down this time next year dealing with Jamal again.
“I could tell a few lies to players to try and sign them and give them two or three year deals but I would rather lose a player than tell them a lie.”
Stuart said he’d immediately know whether Fogarty had already been approached by Manly, which he claimed would be a breach of NRL rules.
Strange had his best game in Raiders colours in Saturday night’s win over Parramatta, scoring one try and setting up two others.
Sanders was brought to the club this year from Parramatta, and is currently out injured.
Fogarty, meanwhile, has continually been one of the Raiders’ most reliable players as a calm head in their halves after reaching his 100th game on Saturday.
“My plan for the future of this club has not changed, with having good players in important positions,” Stuart said.
“I want Jamal to bring through Ethan Sanders.
“But I don’t rush these young blokes at an early part of their career, or they can go out the back door as quick as they come in.”
Manly coach Anthony Seibold insisted he had not yet spoke to Fogarty, who will be open to accept other offers from Monday.
If the Sea Eagles were to sign Fogarty, he would likely be a bridging half for the club following the Cherry-Evans saga, before one of their teenagers Joey Walsh or Onitoni Large come through.
