There aren’t many opinions in the rugby league world that carry more weight than that of Canberra Raiders great and first-grade coach, Ricky Stuart.
In good news for local product Clay Webb, Stuart has a high opinion of the hard-working second-rower, and as a result, he will start for the Raiders when they take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Weyman Oval, Moruya on Sunday.
“Clay gets his first game for the Canberra Raiders when we play Canterbury on Sunday, and I am going to start him actually,” Stuart told the Tumut and Adelong Times.
“He gets a really good opportunity because Canterbury have named a strong team with a lot of NRL talent to start their trial, and it will give Clay and the coaches a great opportunity to see where he is at leading into the season.”
Webb spent the 2022 season in the Raiders NSW Cup side, but Stuart has been impressed by the 20-year-old’s development, and he touched on what has been a good preseason for the Gundagai-Adelong Junior Rugby League (GAJRL) and Tumut Minor League (TML) product.
“This has been his best preseason since he’s been at the club, and he started as a pretty young development player, and then he has moved into our top-30. He is maturing now and developing into a man’s physique,” Stuart said.
“He is stronger, and that’s what we all tend to wait for with these kids, but he has come into his own, and off what has been a strong preseason, he deserves the opportunity to have a run.”
With the Raiders kicking off their 2023 NRL campaign on March 4 with an away trip to Townsville when taking on the North Queensland Cowboys, Webb has a chance to impress against the Bulldogs and make a claim for a spot in Canberra’s top-17.
“Like every other player, you get to where you can on effort and performances,” Stuart said.
“I won’t go as far as saying he will make our round one team just yet, but he has a lot of potential, and his commitment to training and work has been great.
“With each year, he is getting bigger and stronger and he keeps improving and I’m looking forward to seeing how far he gets this year and I don’t see why he won’t have a successful career.”
Readers wanting to watch Webb and the Raiders on Sunday can tune in live on Kayo and Fox League channel 502 at 3.55pm.
