Canberra Raiders star Ethan Strange has broken his silence following reports suggesting he is linked to the Sydney Roosters after the club failed to strike a new deal with Sam Walker.
The Tri-colours dropped a bombshell on Monday when they formally withdrew their contract extension for Walker, leaving his Roosters' future in limbo and suddenly available to look at rival options in a matter of days.
With it seeming that Walker will move on from the foundation club, plenty have turned their attention to who will fill the marquee halfback position in Bondi.
Strange's name has been thrown into the mix following a history in the club's pathways, while his family currently have heavy ties with the club through his father John coaching the NRLW outfit, while his sister stars in the second row for the Roosters.
However, the NSW Blues representative has shut down rumours that he will be leaving Canberra, staunchly confirming his future as a Raider.
“I'm with the Raiders and I'm loving it with Ricky [Stuart], so I honestly have no idea what that's all about ... I don't even know where it's come from,” he said to media in Townsville on Thursday.
Strange isn't off-contract with the Raiders until the end of the 2028 season, meaning there would have to be special circumstances for him to speak with the club, which he currently doesn't have.
Meanwhile, Strange is preparing for his Australian Kangaroos debut after being parachuted into camp following an injury to Mitchell Moses.
Strange was on holiday when he received the news of the call-up into the squad, and was rushed into Kevin Walters' camp for the third match of the Kangaroos campaign.
"I was in Phuket with my partner. We were having a nice little holiday when I found out,” he said.
“We booked it because my partner is from the Central Coast like me, and she's been in Canberra working all year in the cold, so we thought we'd go for a nice holiday before I went back to pre-season.
“I got a nice surprise call early in the morning when we woke up over there, it was a nice surprise.
“He told me if I come back, that I would probably get a game, so I was pretty happy obviously. I'm a 22-year-old kid and getting told you're probably gonna debut for Australia is really special. I was ecstatic.
“We got an overnight flight, slept most of it, woke up and came straight to camp.”
Strange took his game to another level in 2026, making his State of Origin debut in classy fashion, demanding selection in years to come for the NSW Blues.
He will come off the bench as an impact attacking threat against Cook Islands, who will be up against it facing an Australian juggernaut.
The Kangaroos can secure first place in their pool with a dominant win over the Pacific nation, kicking off on Saturday 8:05pm.
