Canberra winger Jordan Rapana was a no-show at the Raiders’ post-NRL grand final fan day following their heartbreaking loss to the Sydney Roosters.
Rapana has been heavily linked with a switch to Japanese rugby union but said, after losing the premiership decider on Sunday, that he wanted to stay with the Green Machine.
However, he was the only player missing as the squad assembled for more than 1000 Raiders fans at their leagues club on Tuesday.
Club officials joked on stage that Rapana was “somewhere between Sydney and Canberra”.
The Raiders, who played in their first grand final in 25 years this season, look set to lose the off-contract New Zealand international.
Canberra will sit down with Dally M second-rower of the year and England international John Bateman in the coming weeks to talk about upgrading his contract.
Bateman was embroiled in controversy during grand final week after a report surfaced that he would leave the club if he didn’t get a pay rise following his stellar debut NRL season.
“It made a headline for something that wasn’t even there. There’s only one place I want to be and I’ve said it from day one, I want to be here,” Bateman told AAP.
It’s understood the Raiders also won’t stand in the way of centre Joey Leilua and halfback Aidan Sezer if they field offers from rival clubs.
Winger Nick Cotric was named in his first Australian squad on Monday but is off-contract after next season which means he can talk to clubs from November 1.
But Canberra will almost certainly offer the 20-year-old a contract extension in the coming weeks, likewise co-captain Jarrod Croker.
Clive Churchill medallist and five-eighth Jack Wighton was also named in the Kangaroos squad, while star Josh Papalii completed the Canberra contingent.
“It’s massive, it’s obviously something we haven’t been lucky enough to get at the last couple of years,” Croker said.
“So to see those guys get their opportunity, it’s a credit to the boys and the whole club and the season we’ve had, they thoroughly deserve it, I’m excited for them.”
International halfback George Williams has signed for next season which means there will be five Englishmen on the books in 2020.
Williams joins Bateman, hooker Josh Hodgson, second-rower Elliott Whitehead and lock Ryan Sutton.
