Raiders nab Jermaine Ale

The Fone Zone Canberra Raiders have announced the signing of promising nineteen-year-old Sydney Roosters centre, Jermaine Ale.

Ale, who is currently playing in the junior structure at the Roosters, will join the Green Machine in 2005 after signing a two-year deal with the Club today.

Ale, who is originally from Newcastle, played junior representative football with the Knights in the Under 15?s (Harold Matthews Cup) and Under 17?s (SG Ball) teams before making the switch to Sydney to play with the Roosters in 2003.

The 2002 Australian Schoolboys representative has spent the last two seasons playing in the Roosters Jersey Flegg (Under ?19) team.

Ale, who represented NSW Under 17?s in 2002, will begin the 2005 pre-season in Wayne Collins? Premier League squad, but will be under the keen eye of first grade coach Matthew Elliott.

?Jermaine is someone that I?m very excited about, and I?m really looking forward to the prospect of having him come in to our squad.?

?Obviously he is someone that we have identified?He?s got good speed and plenty of skill and should fit really well in to our structure,? he said.

?He?ll be one of a crop of rising talent (within the organisation) in the area of outside backs that we?ll be looking to progress over the next two years.?

In other news, Raiders captain Simon Woolford was today cleared of any major damage to his shoulder and is now likely to play against the Warriors this Sunday.

Scans found bruised tendons in Woolford's shoulder; the injury sustained during a tackle in the first half of last Saturday's clash with Penrith.