As November 1 approaches, Canberra's priority in the open market is clear: the Raiders need to recruit forwards.
Ricky Stuart's side lost several players from its engine room at the end of 2025, and further exits could be coming.
The Raiders' fall down the ladder in 2026 was not entirely unexpected after Jamal Fogarty left at the end of 2025, but the extent of the decline raised eyebrows.
There were encouraging signs of recovery late in the season, and Ethan Sanders found his feet in the closing stages.
Those developments offer a brighter outlook, though other areas of the squad could become longer-term concerns.