Canberra Raiders captain Elliott Whitehead’s first words after Super League return confirmed
Elliott Whitehead powers over to score a try for Canberra Raiders in 2024
Canberra Raiders captain Elliott Whitehead will return to Super League in 2025 after putting pen to paper on a contract with his former club Catalans Dragons.
The 34-year-old, who has made 198 appearances for Canberra since arriving from Catalans ahead of the 2016 season.
Whitehead, who has won 31 international caps for Great Britain and England, spent three seasons with Catalans between 2013 and 2015 after playing more than 100 games for his boyhood club Bradford Bulls.
“Having seen how Catalans have grown since I left I can’t wait to come back and hopefully help bring some more success to the south of France,” Whitehead said.
The Bradfordian will play out the rest of this season with the Raiders, where he is expected to surpass the 200-game milestone for the club, before returning to Super League with the Dragons ahead of the 2025 season.
Catalans coach Steve McNamara added: “Elliott is a great signing for the Dragons. His quality, experience and leadership will be a huge asset for us.
“His rugby league instincts and intuition are something you cannot coach. We look forward to his arrival in 2025.”
Elliott Whitehead to bid farewell to his beloved Canberra Raiders
Whitehead has been a mainstay in Canberra’s forward pack since his arrival in 2016, helping the Raiders reach preliminary finals in 2016 and 2020 and a Grand Final in 2019.
“First of all, I want to thank Ricky and club for the opportunity to come to the NRL back in 2016 and chase my dream,” Whitehead said. “I’ve been able to have a wonderful career with the Raiders and to finish my time with the club as captain is something I’m very proud of.
“I also want to thank all of the players that I’ve played alongside in my time with the club and I’m really looking forward to finishing my last year here with the current group and continue to work hard with them to get back into finals contention.
“The players, staff and club made me feel welcome since the moment I arrived and the with my family on the other side of the world the club has become my second family.
“I also want to thank the clubs’ members and fans for their support. They’ve been behind me since I arrived and have always made me feel part of Canberra.
“I truly believe this club and playing group have a bright future ahead of them over the next few years and I look forward to watching them continue to grow and challenge for premierships. Hopefully I can come back and be a part of the club in some capacity in the future.”
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