Canberra Raiders ramp up contract talks with Ricky Stuart

The Raiders will return to the finals for the first time in three years in the coming weeks as they charge through their most consistent winning season in 16 years.

It will be the the second time the Raiders have secured a top-eight berth during Stuart's six-year tenure and they have emerged as a genuine contender in recent weeks.

Stuart's contract is set to expire at the end of 2020, but the club has in the past refused to leave re-signing talks until the last minute to give the coach and the players certainty.

It's understood the Raiders will start talks with Stuart as his team begins its finals preparation, with the hope he will commit to a two-year extension to equal Tim Sheens as the club's longest-serving coach.

The Raiders are also still working on a deal to keep winger Jordan Rapana in Canberra, but the finer details of a contract are still being worked on by both parties.

The club's board has backed Stuart's vision since he arrived in 2014, determined to rebuild the elements that made Canberra a powerhouse during Stuart's playing career.

The board re-signed Stuart in 2015 despite being yet to make the finals and then finalised another extension two years ago to give him the reins until at least the end of 2020.

The Raiders haven't made the finals since 2016, but there is renewed optimism as the Raiders edge closer to securing a top-four spot this season.

They have spent more time in the top four this year than they have in any season since 2003 and the bandwagon is gathering momentum in the build up to the finals.

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Their come from behind win against the Melbourne Storm last weekend silenced any doubters of their title credentials.

The clash against Manly at Canberra Stadium on Sunday afternoon will be the third game in a row against a top-four opponent and Sia Soliola says the tough stretch has been the perfect preparation for finals.

"We're blessed to have these big games at this time of the year because it's really getting us battle ready and hardened for what's to come [in the finals]," Soliola said.

"The education ... we're learning on the run and that's what we've been doing this whole year. That's why we've been so focused on a week to week basis because we're constantly improving.

"We know there's still more to come within this squad. It's the belief in the playing group that if we are putting in different scenarios under pressure, if we knuckle down and focus on what we can do then we're a chance of getting out of a rut."

The Raiders are hoping to attract a crowd of 20,000 or more to their second-last home game of the regular season. If they hit their target, it will be the biggest regular-season attendance in almost a decade.

Canberra can all but secure their place in the top four if they beat Manly as teams jostle for last-season ladder positions. The Raiders are third, but just one win ahead of Manly, South Sydney and Parramatta with three games left before the finals.

"It's massive. We obviously had a big win last weekend in terms of where we are on the ladder because it was a big two points for us," said co-captain Josh Hodgson.

"There's still a lot of pressure on our shoulders, it's still a big two points for us this week. We know there are a lot of teams behind us pushing for the top four. It's important we start well against Manly and kick on."

NRL ROUND 23

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm. Tickets from Ticketek.

Raiders squad: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker, 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Sia Soliola, 11. John Bateman, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Ryan Sutton. Interchange: 14. Bailey Simonsson, 15. Dunamis Lui, 16. Corey Horsburgh, 17. Hudson Young, 18. Sam Williams, 19. Siliva Havili, 20. Emre Guler, 21. Michael Oldfield.