'They can win it': How the Canberra Raiders silenced their critics in NRL push

But ask premiership-winning five-eighth Ben Ikin and that is just what the unheralded custodian has become.

Ikin can still remember how he felt as he watched the Canberra Raiders kick off their season.

"I'm thinking 'seriously, they're going to have to come up with something better at fullback'," Ikin said.

"Before you know it, he is proving all the doubters wrong."

Ikin is now a true believer as the Raiders continue to emerge as genuine premiership contenders and reduce a chorus of doubters to a mere whimper.

Nicoll-Klokstad has been dubbed one of the league's buys of the season following a stellar run that not even Raiders coach Ricky Stuart could have anticipated.

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The 24-year-old will play a key role for the Raiders in a top five clash against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.

But Canberra's rise goes far beyond the addition of Nicoll-Klokstad. What about the arrival of John Bateman and Ryan Sutton? Jack Wighton's move to the halves?

"It's a million things. Ricky has whipped those guys into a mood," Ikin said.

"They were always very talented. Great teams are always more than the sum of their individual parts, and you could say the Englishman have certainly contributed.

"Jack has certainly contributed playing good footy at five-eighth. The form of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

"That's the case with great teams. You can't put your finger on one particular area. Is it their willingness to take a few more chances with the ball? Is it their attitude under pressure in defence?

"Sometimes the coaches don't even know. You plan for some things and stumble into other things, and once you find the right ingredients, you keep the joint happy."

A win over Manly would be enough to guarantee the Raiders third place on the ladder for another week and keep Canberra's hopes of a home qualifying final alive.

But they will be caught in a three-way tussle alongside the Sea Eagles and South Sydney for a top four berth should Manly claim the two points.

Couple that scenario with an expected crowd of more than 18,000 and the Raiders will have no shortage of motivation for a clash with the resurgent Sea Eagles.

Then of course there is the chance to turn any remaining critics into believers - just like they could do with Phil Gould, who said the Raiders had made a name for themselves by "beating up on out of form teams" a fortnight ago.

For Ikin there is not even a sliver of doubt about what this group is capable of.

"They can win it. They're genuine contenders," Ikin said.

"From here on in it's just about keeping a healthy roster and playing with the winning confidence they seem to have.

"Based on what I saw last week against Melbourne, seriously, they're well and truly in the mix. They're in the group of genuine premiership contenders.

"Before that I was starting to get a bit of a sense that something was happening down there. There's different teams every year that plant that seed in your mind.

"Before they played Melbourne, you just get a sense they were stalking the top teams, and that is the exclamation mark on their chances.

"Melbourne are the best defensive team in every category and to come back from an 18-point deficit and beat them in Melbourne, I can't remember the last time Melbourne have conceded a lead like that."

That's because they never had until the Raiders stormed the gates and burned the fortress to the ground.

"There's enough evidence right there to show you what the Raiders are capable of."

NRL ROUND 23

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

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.

Sea Eagles squad: 1. Tom Trbojevic, 2. Jorge Taufua, 3. Brendan Elliott, 4. Moses Suli, 5. Reuben Garrick, 6. Dylan Walker, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Apisai Koroisau, 10. Martin Taupau, 11. Joel Thompson, 12. Jack Gosiewski, 13. Jake Trbojevic. Interchange: 14. Manase Fainu, 15. Corey Waddell, 16. Morgan Boyle, 17. Taniela Paseka, 18. Lachlan Croker, 19. Tevita Funa.