𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐖𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑: 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐑𝐋 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐮𝐠𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚. 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 — 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜…..𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐖𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑: 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚’𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡

In a moment that has sent waves of excitement through the Valley and across the wider National Rugby League community, Canberra Raiders head coach Ricky Stuart has officially confirmed that club legend Mal Meninga is returning to the organisation.

But this time, it’s not as a player.

The iconic former centre, whose legacy is woven into the very fabric of the Raiders’ golden era, will return as the club’s new Senior Coaching Director, bringing decades of experience, leadership, and winning culture back to Canberra.

A Homecoming That Means Everything

For Raiders fans, Mal Meninga is more than just a name — he is a symbol of pride, dominance, and identity. As captain during the club’s most successful years, Meninga helped shape Canberra into one of rugby league’s powerhouse teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Now, his return signals something even bigger: stability, ambition, and a renewed commitment to premiership success.

Speaking at the announcement, Ricky Stuart could barely contain his enthusiasm.

“Mal understands what this club stands for. He built part of its legacy. Bringing him back into this environment gives our players direct access to greatness — to someone who knows what it takes to win at the highest level.”

Experience at the Highest Level

Meninga’s coaching résumé speaks for itself. From leading Queensland’s State of Origin dominance to guiding Australia on the international stage, his ability to inspire elite performance is unquestioned.

His role will focus on mentoring senior players, supporting the coaching staff, strengthening leadership pathways, and embedding the Raiders’ traditional values into the next generation.

A Boost for the Entire Club

The news has already sparked celebration among players and supporters. Social media erupted within minutes of the confirmation, with fans calling it “the missing piece” and “a masterstroke decision.”

For the playing group, the presence of a figure like Meninga brings immediate credibility and motivation. Young stars will now train under someone who not only wore the jersey with distinction but understands the mental demands of sustained success.

A Statement to the NRL

This move also sends a powerful message to the rest of the league: Canberra is serious about building something special again.

With Ricky Stuart leading from the front and Mal Meninga reinforcing the club’s foundations, the Raiders appear to be entering a bold new chapter — one rooted in history but driven by future ambition.