The Canberra Raiders have confirmed the signings of both Jaiyden Hunt and Lipoi Hopoi for 2027.
The Raiders are losing plenty out of their forward pack at the end of this season, with Josh Papalii retiring, and the duo of Morgan Smithies and Corey Horsburgh both heading west to join the Perth Bears.
Ricky Stuart's side still had nine spots left to fill on their roster for 2027, but have now filled two of those spots, snaring Hunt from the Broncos and Hopoi from the Bulldogs.
Both players have signed two-year contracts and will relocate to the nation's capital until at least the end of 2028.
“I'm really looking forward to having both of these guys join the club for the next two seasons,” Raiders recruitment manager Chris Hutchison said of the double signing.
“Jaiyden is a hard-working player and he will bring a lot of value and experience to the club, having been apart of a premiership squad last year.
“Lipoi is a player we've watched for years. He's another hard-working middle forward who is capable of playing big minutes and a player who we believe can make the next step in his young NRL career."
Hopoi, now 24, has 17 NRL matches under his belt for the Bulldogs since debuting in 2024, while Hunt has been around the game for longer.
A NSW and QLD Cup veteran, Hunt started his journey at the St George Illawarra Dragons, and has been on the fringes of the Brisbane Broncos squad for the last two years, reaching 40 NRL games.
As it stands, the Raiders starting middle group is expected to be Joseph Tapine, Ata Mariota and Matty Nicholson, with Myles Martin and Zac Hosking expected to be on the bench and able to play through the middle.
It means Hopoi and Hunt will be immediately in the mix for minutes as part of Ricky Stuart's squad next year, with the Raiders looking for a major bounce back after what can only be described as a dismal 2026 campaign where they fell from minor premiers in 2025 to missing the finals.
