At least one Englishman won't be departing the Raiders this year after important forward Elliott Whitehead signed a two-year contract extension with the club.
Whitehead was contracted until the end of next season anyway but will now be locked away in Canberra until at least the end of 2024.
The 31-year-old has 138 first-grade appearances since arriving at the Raiders ahead of the 2016 season.
Whitehead has made up part of a strong contingent of Englishmen at Canberra over recent times, also featuring Josh Hodgson, George Williams and Ryan Sutton.
Williams has already returned home after a messy split earlier this year, while star hooker Hodgson has been linked with a move away from the club at season's end, though coach Ricky Stuart had denied those reports .
Whitehead said he was pleased to secure his future at the Raiders.
"I’ve loved every minute of playing for the Raiders and living in Canberra, so it was an easy decision for me and my partner to stay with the club," Whitehead said.
"I’ve also had the opportunity to be named as captain this year which is a huge honour.
"It’s great to have the deal done, but my focus is on helping to get the team into the finals for the third year in a row.
"We’ve got a great group of players here and we know we can continue our recent form and be there at the end of the year."
Great news for the club, with Elliott Whitehead agreeing to a new deal to keep him in green until the end of 2024. #UpTheMilk
— Canberra Raiders (@RaidersCanberra) July 28, 2021
Raiders CEO Don Furner said Whitehead's was an important signature for the club.
"Elliott has been year in year out one of our most consistent performers and has developed into a really strong leader in the club," Furner said.
"It’s great news for the club and our members that Elliott is staying with us for the next three seasons."
The Raiders sit in ninth with an 8-10 record ahead of a round 20 meeting with Newcastle.
