Belcher in 1985 played for the
Wayne Bennett coached Magpies in the 10-8 BRL grand final win over
Wynnum Manly at
Lang Park, alongside the pairing of
Mal Meninga and
Peter Jackson. In
1986 he and Meninga signed with the
Canberra Raiders, making his début in Round 1 of the season against
Manly-Warringah at
Brookvale Oval. He also made his State of Origin début for Queensland in
1986, the first year the Maroons lost the series 3–0. Belcher had replaced long-serving Qld fullback
Colin Scott. He won the Raiders 1986 player of the year award and was also selected for the season-ending
1986 Kangaroo tour. However, as the understudy to incumbent fullback
Garry Jack, he played no test matches on the tour, though he did play in ten matches on the tour scoring 6 tries. Early in the tour Belcher often joined the
Channel 10 commentary team for games in which he did not play. In
1987, Belcher again won the Raiders' player of the year award and played in the grand final against Manly-Warringah. Belcher kicked a goal to convert a late
Chris O'Sullivan try, but the Raiders were defeated 18–8 in front of 50,201 in what was the last grand final played at the
Sydney Cricket Ground. In
1989, Belcher scored Canberra's first try in their dramatic 19–14 Grand Final victory over
Balmain. The extra-time win securing the club its first premiership. A fortnight later, Belcher started in Canberra's first (and to date only) appearance in the
World Club Challenge, which the Raiders would lose 30–18 to
Widnes. ==1990s==