Canberra Raiders make bombshell Hudson Young contract call

The Canberra Raiders have officially withdrawn their contract extension offer to star second-rower Hudson Young, the club announced in a statement on Monday. The withdrawn proposal was reported to be worth $4.4 million over four years, representing the largest contract offer in club history. Canberra pulled the offer after negotiations that started in June failed to produce an agreement ahead of the club's end-of-October deadline.

Young remains under contract with the Raiders through the 2027 season and is expected to attend pre-season training. However, the withdrawal enables the forward to test his value on the open market, with the PNG Chiefs reportedly emerging as contenders by offering a contract worth $900,000 per year.