NRL 2020: Ex-Raider Kurt Baptiste returns to Canberra on training contract
Canberra has moved to secure some injury cover for the remainder of the season, signing a former Raider and Cowboy on a cut price contract.
NRL
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Canberra has signed former dummy half Kurt Baptiste on a training contract for the rest of the season.
Baptiste, who had three seasons at the Raiders between 2014 and 2017, will arrive later on Monday and should be training with the squad by the end of the week after going through the COVID-19 protocols.
On a day where the Melbourne Storm also got approval to sign Sonny Bill Williams’ Toronto teammate Ricky Leutele on a deal reportedly worth $35,000 for the rest of the season, the Raiders picked up a potential bargain replacement for star hooker Josh Hodgson.
When the Roosters brought back SBW on a $150,000 deal for the rest of the season there was a blow up about SBW’s being undervalued on the salary cap.
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But it is understood Baptiste’s training contract is only worth $1000-a-week – and that’s before tax.
Canberra recruitment boss Peter Mulholland said Baptiste would only be available to play NRL if there was an injury to either Siliva Havili and young Tom Starling, who remain Ricky Stuart’s one-two combination for dummy half.
“He’s coming back so he’s pretty happy with it all,” Mulholland said.
“The fact was he had to come in on a training contract and we will have to get permission to play him.
“But he is a great kid. He has been here and he knows the system and that why Rick is happy to have him back.”
With Hodgson (knee) sidelined for the season, Baptiste offers quality experience.
After leaving the Raiders Baptiste had a stint in the Super League and at the Roosters before playing nine games for North Queensland last year.
The 29-year-old was playing for Brisbane Easts in the Queensland Cup before the competition was shut down due to COVID-19.
Awkward flight for GF ref
– Phil Rothfield
Talk about awkward moments in rugby league …
The referee who many believe cost Canberra last year’s grand final has to sit on a plane with the Raiders to Townsville and back on Saturday.
Ben Cummins famously blew ‘six again’ but changed his mind to deny the Raiders a shot at victory in a gripping decider.
Saturday’s Cowboys-Raiders clash will be the first time he has refereed Canberra since the grand final.
He drove to the national capital on Friday and boarded the plane to Townsville on Saturday morning with the players and coaching staff.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart played down the possibility of any tension.
In fact Stuart revealed Cummins had spent a training session with his team during the off-season.
And that he even had lunch with Cummins afterwards.
“We rang the NRL and got him down to referee a scrimmage for us,” Stuart said.
“We wanted to show him there was no animosity or hard feelings. You move on.
“I took him to lunch afterwards.
“There’s no drama – he was more than welcome on the plane.”
Originally published as NRL 2020: Ex-Raider Kurt Baptiste returns to Canberra on training contract