‘The right person to step up’: Jamal Fogarty announced as Canberra’s vice-captain for new season

The Raiders have lost almost 550 games of NRL experience, but the Green Machine has outlined its plans for the future with a new vice-captain for 2024.

Jamal Fogarty will be Canberra’s vice-captain in 2024 and could take over as skipper as early as next year. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

The Raiders have announced halfback Jamal Fogarty will be their new vice-captain for the 2024 season, with Canberra losing a stack of experienced leaders from the team that made the finals last year.

The Green Machine have lost nearly 550 games worth of NRL experience, with co-captain Jarrod Croker (retired) and Jack Wighton (Rabbitohs) no longer at the club.

But Fogarty has emerged as a genuine leader and could replace skipper Elliott Whitehead when the Englishman eventually calls it quits after a glittering career in the nation’s capital.

Fogarty, 30, signed a lengthy extension last year that will keep him in Canberra until the end of the 2026 season, with the playmaker fitting right in since he made the move from the Titans in 2022.

Jamal Fogarty will have to step up with big names no longer at the club. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

“Obviously, I’m super honoured to be in this position, but I also have to understand that my role doesn’t really change,” Fogarty said.

“I’ve still got to be the main talker within the team and if I can knuckle down and keep doing my part then we can have a better season.”

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart will lean on Fogarty even more in attack this season with Wighton no longer there, and picking him as vice-captain is a show of faith that he can be the man to lead Canberra in the future.

“It’s something Ricky and I spoke about, and we both thought Jamal was the right person to step up and take that role,” Whitehead said.

“Being the halfback, he has to have the voice on the field as well. I’m looking forward to leading the team with him.

“He’s a big presence around the place at the moment and he’s got a big voice, so giving him that role to help me lead the team around is going to be helpful for us.”