Canberra Raiders recruit George Williams flying, John Bateman out for seven games

But on the flipside, his English teammate John Bateman could miss the opening seven rounds of the NRL season.

Williams will team up with Raiders five-eighth Jack Wighton for the first time in their pre-season trial against the Canterbury Bulldogs at Port Macquarie on Saturday.

The England half has struggled throughout his limited pre-season with a quadriceps injury, but Wighton said he's put that all behind him for the trial.

They've had limited time together thanks to Williams' extended international campaign last year, his injury, plus Wighton's appearance in the NRL Nines.

It means every minute of the Bulldogs trial will be invaluable ahead of round one against the Gold Coast Titans at Canberra Stadium on March 13.

"It'll be good. It'll be the first time we've taken the park together in a game so it's going to be awesome having the big fella there beside me," Wighton said.

"He's all good. He's been flying the last couple of weeks and he's very easy to work with.

"Just going to have to see how we go in a game scenario now. That's the big difference."

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Wighton felt it would be a similar set-up to last season when both he and Aidan Sezer guided the team around the park.

"Not much has changed to be fair. Me and 'Chicken' kind of shared the role last year anyhow," he said.

"Very similar [this year] and not thinking too much into it. We haven't played together yet.

"After Saturday we'll have more of an idea how things go."

The news is less positive for Bateman, who had hoped to be ready to face the Titans, but now he's expected to be fit for round 7-8.

He had surgery on his shoulder three weeks ago after struggling to do any contact work during the pre-season.

The Canberra Times revealed at the time Bateman could miss the opening five rounds, but it will now take longer than that.

He is expected to be ready for either the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Canberra Stadium in round seven or the Canterbury Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium the following week.

With Joe Tapine wanting to stay at lock, Corey Horsburgh could get some extended time playing in the second row covering for Bateman.

Wighton was unsure who would cover Bateman, but Horsburgh has been training there.

"He's been a little bit everywhere, 'Big Red'. He's looking fit, he's looking good, he's got good ball skills so if he's needed to do the job he'll be fine to step up and jump out there," he said.

The Raiders flew up to Port Macquarie on Thursday, which will also be Curtis Scott's first game for the Green Machine.

He's been cleared to play despite facing seven charges, including two counts of allegedly assaulting a police officer.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg hasn't had time to view all of the police body-camera footage from Scott's arrest, with a final decision on whether the no-fault, stand-down policy will be enforced unlikely to be made until next week.

NRL PRE-SEASON TRIAL

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Canterbury Bulldogs at Port Macquarie, 4.30pm.