Horsburgh heads west
Corey Horsburgh is officially leaving Canberra, with the Perth Bears confirming on Sunday that the Queensland Origin forward has signed a three-year deal with the NRL's newest franchise. The move makes Horsburgh the second Raiders player to join the Bears, following Englishman Morgan Smithies, who confirmed his switch earlier this month.
Horsburgh, who played his final home game for Canberra against the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night, said the chance to be part of a new club from the ground up was a rare opportunity. "This is a decision I'm very excited about," he said. "The chance to be part of something from the ground up doesn't come around often, and I want to be one of the players who helps build this club into something special from day one."
A key factor in his decision was the presence of Mal Meninga, the Raiders legend who will coach the Bears in their inaugural season. "Having Mal as head coach was a big factor in this decision. He's an Immortal and a Queensland and Raiders legend, so getting the chance to learn from someone with his knowledge of the game and what it takes to win will be awesome," Horsburgh said.
Meninga, for his part, said Horsburgh's aggression, work rate, and Origin pedigree were exactly what the Bears were targeting, adding that the forward would bring physicality to their pack.
A strained farewell
Horsburgh's departure comes after a turbulent final season in the nation's capital. His relationship with Raiders coach Ricky Stuart became strained during the campaign, with Stuart singling him out in a post-match press conference following a loss to the Knights. Horsburgh was also sin-binned for slapping Dane Gagai and was subsequently dropped the following week.
Stuart has defended his relationship with the forward, but the controversy marked the end of a tenure that had already seen Horsburgh explore a departure in 2024 to join the Broncos. Over his career, Horsburgh played 132 NRL games for the Raiders between 2019 and 2026, including the 2019 grand final loss. He also had two games on loan to the Canterbury Bulldogs during the COVID-affected 2021 season.
Horsburgh earned Queensland State of Origin selection in 2023 and made his international debut in the Prime Minister's XIII squad in 2024.
Young's future in the balance
While Horsburgh's move was confirmed, the Raiders are also bracing for a potential approach for another key forward. The club expects Hudson Young to request permission to speak to the Papua New Guinea Chiefs in September, with his management set to ask for a window to negotiate before November 1.
Young, who is under contract with the Raiders until 2027 and is considered a future captain, is recovering from Achilles surgery and has been using a knee scooter. His rehabilitation is expected to play a key role in determining when he can fly to Port Moresby to tour the Chiefs' compound.
The Raiders tabled a three-year, $3.3 million deal to Young last Thursday in a bid to make him their highest-paid player ever. Club boss Don Furner said he would be open to allowing an exclusive window for the Chiefs to hold talks, so the Raiders can better plan for a future without the NSW Blues back-rower.
Young's potential move to PNG would involve a lucrative tax-free salary from 2028, a prospect that has sent the second-row market into overdrive. Big-name back-rowers Liam Martin and Jacob Preston are both in the process of negotiating new deals with their respective clubs, Penrith and Canterbury, and can talk to other clubs from November 1.
Raiders' forward reshuffle
The Raiders are set to lose several forwards from their stocks, with Josh Papali'i retiring, Morgan Smithies and Corey Horsburgh joining the Bears, and Jake Clydsdale also departing. To offset those losses, the club has signed Canterbury Bulldogs prop Lipoi Hopoi for the next two years and met with off-contract Broncos forward Jaiyden Hunt on Saturday. Hunt has played 38 NRL games across the past six seasons.
Injury has also taken its toll on the Raiders' pack. Young will miss the final six games of the season, while Zac Hosking (three games), Matty Nicholson (17), Noah Martin (13), and Simi Sasagi (eight) have all spent time out. Hosking will miss the final game of the season against the North Queensland Cowboys due to a grade two hamstring strain.
The Raiders have a bye this week and will play the final round of the season against the Cowboys in Townsville.
Discipline in the Super League
In other news, former NRL playmaker Jackson Hastings is facing a potential suspension after being shown a straight red card for throwing a punch in a Super League match. Hastings, who now plays for St Helens, was sent off in the final stages of the first half after an altercation with Castleford Tigers player Tyler Dupree.
St Helens interim-coach Eamon O'Carroll said he had not seen the incident clearly and relied on the official's explanation. "I've not seen it and the replays weren't that great either because it happened in backfield, didn't it?" O'Carroll said. "I asked the official as I walked past him and he just said that Jackson had thrown a punch."
O'Carroll expects Hastings to receive at least a one-match suspension. "I would imagine so. The beauty of this year is we're used to it, aren't we?" he added.
Castleford Director of Rugby Chris Chester was more blunt, insisting players know the consequences of throwing punches. "We all know the rules: you can't punch people in the face," Chester said on Sky Sports. "We'll let the disciplinary (match review panel) deal with those kinds of things. That's what they're there for."