Pezet loan: Bundled-out Canberra moves quick for next year

The Canberra Raiders are racing into the signing market just days after being knocked out of the 2025 NRL postseason in straight sets, with the minor premiers eager to add star power for their next campaign.

The star power may come in the form of Jonah Pezet, the Melbourne Storm young gun who nearly every club would want to sign – and the Raiders have jumped straight to the top of the heap.

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Pezet is contracted to the Storm until 2029, but thanks to a clause in his lengthy contract, he can explore his options because Jahrome Hughes – who very much has full reign over the halfback jersey – re-signed until 2030. While it could be a full-blown deal Pezet takes up, The Sporting Base understands he’s looking for loan deals before anything else.

The 22-year-old has been linked to several teams for a 2026 loan, most notably the Gold Coast Titans. Josh Hannay has huge wraps on the youngster and wants to use him to take the Titans to the finals for the first time in several years.

Ricky Stuart is another admirer, though, and with veteran playmaker Jamal Fogarty now heading to the Manly Sea Eagles now that the 2025 season has ended (a little early), there’s a spot to be filled in the Canberra halves.

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The whole situation would work perfectly for both Canberra and Pezet. The Raiders see Ethan Sanders as the eventual heir to the number seven jumper, but many in the nation’s capital feel it may be a little early for him to play regular NRL. The club also wants to take another run at the premiership next season and needs proven star power to do it.

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Then, for Pezet, it gives him a guaranteed starting role in 2026 before he can then return to Melbourne for the last three years of his contract to battle Hughes for the starting role or take over from Cameron Munster if he leaves the Storm.

Should either option fail, Pezet could then take up a loan deal with the Perth Bears in ’27.

Regardless of what happens beyond, next year’s loan would make total sense for the rising starlet.

Right now, he’s tossing up the Titans and the Raiders, though other clubs may well join the mix; there have been whispers the St George Illawarra Dragons want to take another crack at signing him on a rich permanent deal.