Canberra Raiders centre Joey Leilua accepts two-game ban as Bailey Simonsson gets golden chance

Leilua's two-game ban will see Nick Cotric shift to right centre and Simonsson drafted onto the wing for Canberra's clash with the Cronulla Sharks in Sydney on Sunday.

Leilua will enter the NRL finals series having played two games since April 28 after accepting a two-match suspension for dropping his knees into an opposition player.

It was his second game back from what the Raiders feared was season-ending surgery on a bulging disc.

Now Simonsson and Cotric have a chance to give Raiders coach Ricky Stuart a huge selection headache should they impress on the run to the finals.

Simonsson has scored seven tries in 16 games this season and Stuart has carried him on the bench since Leilua returned to first grade in a sign of how highly Stuart rates him.

"It's handy having Bailey on the bench, who has been in the team all year, to be able to fit back in," Stuart said.

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"Bailey had a really good off-season, and his natural athleticism had given me some real hope for his debut season with the club, and he hasn't let himself or anybody down.

"He has done a really good job. He's versatile, he can play a couple of positions and that is similar to a few of our players, such as Nick, and it gives us a great bit of leverage there."

Stuart says the Raiders are working hard to bring Cotric up to speed at right centre given he is "a natural winger".

The 20-year-old has been backed to fill the void after the Raiders opted against fighting Leilua's grade one charge for dropping his knees into the back of Manly Warringah's Reuben Garrick.

An early guilty plea means Leilua will be free to play in week one of the finals but take 30 carryover points with him - so another indiscretion could see him rubbed out again.

But there is more at stake this week than the chance for Simonsson and Cotric to earn first crack at starting roles in mid-September.

"It's important for everybody to be honest, these next two weeks give us the opportunity to finish in the top four and it's important that we focus on that," Stuart said.

"I'm just thinking about what we can do this week in our preparation for Cronulla.

"From a coaching point of view, we obviously plan for the semi-finals, but from a team point of view I'm focusing on Cronulla.

"The Sharks will be obviously very motivated, they're playing for a top eight position now. They'll be as motivated as we are."

NRL ROUND 24

Sunday: Cronulla Sharks v Canberra Raiders at Shark Park, 2pm.

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

Sharks squad: 1. Josh Dugan, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Bronson Xerri, 4. Josh Morris, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Shaun Johnson, 7. Chad Townsend, 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Jayden Brailey, 10. Matt Prior, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Wade Graham, 13. Paul Gallen. Interchange: 14. Kurt Capewell, 15. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 16. Andrew Fifita, 17. Jayson Bukuya, 18. Billy Magoulias, 19. Blayke Brailey, 20. Kyle Flanagan, 21. Matt Moylan.