'Gone better than what we thought': Jamal Fogarty's admission as Raiders close in on 31-year first

Jamal Fogarty has admitted even those within the four walls at the Raiders have been surprised by just how quickly they have turned things around this season.

After missing the finals last season, many were writing off Canberra before a ball was kicked in 2025 and some were even pitting them at the bottom of the NRL ladder.

But in a stunning turnaround, the Raiders are closing in on their first minor premiership in more than three decades with just two rounds of the regular season remaining.

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Friday night's dramatic golden-point win over the Panthers has set tongues wagging in rugby league land, with young gun Ethan Strange linking up with Kaeo Weekes for a long-range try to sink the four-time reigning champions in Mudgee.

Speaking on Nine's Wide World of Sports, Fogarty revealed his reaction to Strange's late heroics that kept the Green Machine two points clear atop the table.

"I was just screaming 'go kid' - that's Strangey's nickname," the halfback said.

"He's got a lot of speed and a nice little left foot, but he decided to go with the goosey to get around Dylan Edwards. I thought he was home and then Tom Jenkins came from the far side and Kaeo's got a lot of speed to be there in support play for us.

"It's always good to see where we're at against the best in Penrith."

Canberra will face the Tigers and Dolphins in the final two rounds as they chase the coveted JJ Giltinan Shield for the first time since 1994.

That team is regarded as one of the best in rugby league history, boasting the likes of Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley and current head coach Ricky Stuart.

Few could have expected this Raiders squad to pull off the same feat and even Fogarty conceded it has gone "smoother" than those at the club anticipated.

"Obviously we knew in the pre-season what type of talent that we had," he said.

"If we worked really hard and got on board with the coaching staff and their game plans, we genuinely thought we could give it a shake. It's probably gone a lot better and smoother than what we thought and I think our consistency has been the key to that.

"The last couple of seasons we have been good and bad in patches, but overall we're pretty happy with how we're tracking at the moment."

Watch the 2025 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.

With the minor premiership within their grasp, Canberra can now start dreaming of what the grand final on the first weekend of October could look like.

A potential premiership for Fogarty would hold special significance, with the playmaker set to leave the Raiders at season's end and join the Sea Eagles.

The 31-year-old admitted his tenure in the nation's capital was the change he needed after leaving the Gold Coast a few years ago and finding himself at a crossroads.

"Everyone's goal is to win a comp," he said.

"Obviously it's my last season at the Raiders and it would be nice to win one, but no matter where I go, I'm still going to be trying to chase that premiership.

"But to do it down there at the Raiders with heaps of the boys I've become very close to over the last couple of years [would be good].

"Canberra has got a soft spot for me, they've probably turned my career around after the Titans so it would be nice to finish on a high there before I head off."

Fogarty has registered 19 try assists and forced 19 dropouts this season, with his elite kicking game a major reason for Canberra's resurgence.