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Ask enough people and you start to learn some fascinating things about Canberra’s latest young star, Ethan Strange.
Like the fact Strange’s family hailed from the home of the original raiders.
His great, great, great, great, great-grandfather, John Thompson, was Norwegian. (Sadly, the sources who may have had knowledge of John’s actual Viking links are no longer with us).
Canberra Raiders’ No. 6 Ethan StrangeCredit: Getty Images
“I told Ethan the other day he’s got Viking blood,” says John Strange, Ethan’s father.
The rise of the Raiders has been one of the best rugby league storylines of the season – and the form of their young five-eighth has been phenomenal.
Strange has been compared to Raiders legends Jack Wighton and even Laurie Daley because of his bigger frame, excellent footwork, speed and ability to put a decent shot on in defence.
Strange and the Raiders host Reece Walsh and the Brisbane Broncos at what will be a rocking GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
While Walsh’s every move is well documented, the same cannot be said of Strange, who will have just as big a say on what happens over the next four weeks.
Here are six things you never knew about the Raiders’ No.6.
International flavour
New Zealand Rugby League officials sounded out Strange about representing the Kiwis in last year’s Pacific Championships.
Ethan Strange claimed man-of-the-match honours in the Blues under 19s Origin win in 2023.Credit: NRL Photos
That same grandfather who lived in Norway married an English woman before moving to New Zealand. Strange even has Maori heritage.
His older sister, Sydney Roosters’ NRLW player Jasmin Strange, has already represented the Maori All Stars, and spoken about her hopes of representing England. Their mother, Adele, was born and raised in Yorkshire.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart recently spoke about Strange being ready to be taken on the Ashes tour for Australia. The young man himself has not given it much thought, and only spoke about his hopes of playing Origin.
“I can tell you I love NSW,” Strange said.
Wanted man
Strange grew up on the NSW Central Coast in the semi-rural suburb of Tumbi Umbi, and played in the same Central Coast Roosters Harold Matthews team as current Bondi boys Rob Toia, Blake Steep and hooker Benaiah Ioelu. They reached the finals in 2021.
When recruitment guru Peter Mulholland sent footage of Strange to Stuart, the coach wasted no time arranging a meeting.
Stuart liked Strange. Strange liked Stuart more. Half a dozen other clubs were interested, and Strange formally met two others.
“I met with the Roosters, and chatted with the Gold Coast,” Strange said. “Justin Holbrook is one of my dad’s best mates and was coaching them at the time.
“But as soon as I came down here and met with ‘Stick’ [Stuart], this was the place I wanted to move to.”
Stuart picked up the phone to John Strange, who stayed out of the early meetings because he was the NRLW coach at the Roosters, and everything he predicted would happen to Ethan has since come true.
“He’s backed Ethan from the start, he put him in the vacant No.6 spot in round one last year, and all Ethan wants to do now is repay Ricky,” John said.
Ricky roommates
When Strange agreed to come to the nation’s capital, Stuart offered to put him up in his family home.
But a fear of being too messy or unorganised led Strange to politely passing on the coach and moving in with Tom Starling, the Raiders hooker who also grew up on the Central Coast.
Adele made the regular trip to Canberra to make sure her son was coping – and eating his greens.
“I was a bit nervous about moving in with ‘Stick’, and because I had no idea how to look after myself, and I was worried he’d sack me after my first week,” Strange said.
Hidden talents
Strange grew up on acreage, the property featured a motocross track, skate ramp and modified football field, complete with floodlights, which John would use to train junior teams whenever the local grounds were closed because of wet weather.
Ethan Strange showing of his skateboarding skills at Bondi Beach
When he was 12 or 13, Strange taught himself to ride a unicycle. One of the local teachers loved the circus.
“We’d learn to ride unicycles at recess, then play footy at lunch,” Strange said.
John added: “After he taught himself to ride the unicycle, he rode it all the way around the motocross track, basically because he wanted to. That’s who he is. He was also an excellent skateboarder.”
Strange also loved surfing, and attended the same high school as our latest world surfing champion, Molly Picklum.
“I’ve got a few mates whose claim to fame was they took on Molly in some North Shelly Beach surfing heats, only to get pumped by her,” Ethan said.
Jack Wighton 2.0
Hudson Young defended outside Wighton, and never imagined his replacement would be so similar.
“The way Jack used to back himself in defence, Ethan does the same thing,” Young said. “You don’t have to protect him or look after him. Most young halves who come on the scene, as a backrower, you need to look after them [in defence] so they can then go on the attack. But Ethan’s attack comes off the back of his defence. He’s so strong, fast and powerful.”
Family greatness
What is not a well-kept secret is how Strange’s father and older sister are at the Roosters, and already premiership winners.
The Chooks won the title last year, and made it 11 wins from as many games on Thursday night. There is a huge chance all three Strange family members will be there on grand final day.
John, Jasmin and Ethan Strange.
“They’ve both won premierships, it would be cool if we’re all there on grand final day, and that’s basically the plan,” Strange said.
“I’d love to win one. And we can win it. We just think, ‘why not?’. We’re a good footy team. We know what we’ve got here.”
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