‘I’m not here to play reserve grade’: Ethan Sanders throws down the challenge to his teammates, spruiks Canberra’s generation next

The Raiders suddenly have a genuine selection dilemma for round 1 after a rookie’s eye-catching performance against the premiers.

Ethan Sanders is still trying to unlock the secret recipe needed to be a long-term halfback in the NRL, but the Raiders recruit has declared he’s “not here to play reserve grade” after he made the big switch from the Eels in the off-season.

Still only 21, Sanders has been touted as one of the best up-and-coming playmakers in the game after starring in the juniors where he spent plenty of time with Canberra’s other young guns.

Sanders got the chance to play two games for the Eels last season but saw his future blocked given the blue and golds have Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown locked in, although the latter could be on the move if he doesn’t take up his option.

Veteran Jamal Fogarty will likely partner Ethan Strange in the halves in round 1, but Sanders wants a starting spot after an impressive performance in Canberra’s Pre-Season Challenge win over Penrith on Saturday night.

Ethan Sanders doesn’t want to spend too long in reserve grade after he made the big move from the Eels. Picture: Raiders

“I got a taste of NRL last year, so I want to assert myself as a genuine NRL halfback,” he told the NewsWire.

“I’ve got to keep learning. I’m obviously still young, so Jamal’s got a lot to teach me. I want to keep learning each day and keep challenging myself to get better.

“I have to be patient. I’m only young and it’s a challenge to lead the team around each week. I’m hungry and I want to play. I’m not here to play reserve grade – I want to play NRL.”

While he may be young, Sanders has the sort of maturity levels that will make him a long-term halfback in this league, with the playmaker able to brush off all the drama last year when he decided to leave Parramatta.

“I didn’t buy into any of that stuff last year,” he said.

“I’ve got a good circle with my family, manager and a good bunch of mates who were at Parramatta, so I didn’t buy into any of that stuff.

“I didn’t look at it on social media and I just kept worrying about my footy.”

The Eels had high hopes before Sanders decided to leave. Picture: NRL Photos

That level-headedness has impressed his senior teammates in the nation’s capital.

“I think he’s really calm for his age,” Canberra captain Joseph Tapine said at the NRL season launch.

“He’s not afraid to chat and tell the big boys what to do, and that’s a huge plus to me. When I’m fatigued, that’s what I need from my halfback.”

Sanders started at halfback in the win over Penrith and played a big part in Canberra’s opening try when he took the line on and offloaded to Simi Sasagi who crashed over.

That play was impressive, but Tapine was more interested in how the young man was able to bounce back after he was trampled in defence in the opening minutes.

It took a while but Simi Sasagi gets the first points of the night 💥

📺 Watch #NRLPreSeason on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/B1ijnGXtqA
✍️ BLOG https://t.co/vcdNfZ0uIQ
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/pdWsENIvrApic.twitter.com/j1VGHeQ5rM

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) February 8, 2025

“He’s a strong runner so you have to mark him. You can’t slide off him because he’s a stud,” the prop said.

“It was great to see him get bumped and then get back out there because that’s half the challenge of the game. Some boys might get hit and hide in the shadows, but he’s got the right mindset.”

That tough approach is something that Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has drilled into him in the pre-season, with the former representative halfback the perfect mentor for a guy like Sanders.

“He’s challenged me on playing tough in attack and defence. I’ve tried to take that advice on-board. If I have to take those hits for the team, then I’ll take them,” he said.

“We had some pretty intense wrestling sessions in the pre-season with Josh Miller, so there have been some tough moments.”

Plenty of Canberra’s rising stars played together for NSW in 2023. Picture: NRL Images.

Even if Sanders has to bide his time, the future looks bright with Canberra’s next generation of stars all having played together for NSW in a big win in the under-19s Origin back in 2023.

Sanders, Chevy Stewart, Ethan Strange, Savelio Tamale and Myles Martin were all there that night and are tipped to carry the Green Machine in the years to come.

“The boys are all good mates, which helps,” Sanders said.

“Everyone is keen to get better and learn each day, and if you’re good mates off the field, it makes it easier to come in and work hard.

“We played one Origin game together, but we’re all Raiders now. The more time we spend together, the more we can buy into getting better as a group and that will help us in the long run.”

Originally published as ‘I’m not here to play reserve grade’: Ethan Sanders throws down the challenge to his teammates, spruiks Canberra’s generation next