Last-minute NRL flight puts wind in the Canberra Raiders' wings

The Canberra Raiders coach's concerns over a five-day turnaround leading into the clash against reigning premiers Sydney Roosters were exacerbated by spending eight hours cooped on a bus like they were Australian backpackers travelling around Europe.

But the NRL contacted the Raiders on Wednesday morning to say they could fly up and back to the SCG for one of the biggest games of the season.

It was an olive branch after Stuart's concerns were made public through the media on Tuesday night.

It's a small boost for Canberra who still have to overcome their shorter break, with the Bondi Princes having seven days to prepare while sunning themselves on their local beach.

Before the NRL draw was redone in the wake of the first spike of the coronavirus pandemic, the Raiders requested to fly up and back to all games in Sydney, as well as stay in a hotel the night before their matches.

But those requests were kiboshed way back then, with the Green Machine having to fight for the small allowance of being allowed to fly to their so-called home games at Campbelltown.

That came off the back of the Raiders pointing out their travel schedule was far heavier than any NRL team.

After this round, the Raiders will have travelled to six of their eight games since the NRL season resumed.

In contrast, the Roosters have only left Sydney three times.

Only the Gold Coast and Newcastle have had comparable travel loads, while the Penrith Panthers were yet to leave the Harbour City.

For away games, it was Murrays or bust for the Green Machine.

That vastly different preparation - no doubt exacerbated by Canberra's crippling injury toll - had Stuart questioning whether the NRL were fair dinkum about the grand final rematch being a blue chip game.

It's the first time the Raiders and Roosters have met since their controversial grand final last year had Canberra fans wishing they'd never the words "six again".

"I just think it's unfair on our fans and our players that this so-called grand-final rematch isn't given the respect that I think it deserves," a diplomatic Stuart said.

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The Raiders mentor has his fingers crossed the second spike in COVID-19 infections won't lead to the Raiders again being forced to play their home games in Sydney.

They had to play two of their home games at Campbelltown Stadium because the broadcasters didn't want to travel to Canberra.

The Raiders have found themselves back in the Apollo bubble along with all the NSW-based clubs due to the coronavirus hotspots in Liverpool and Campbelltown.

That's despite the ACT only having five active cases of COVID-19.

It means no golf, no cafes or restaurants, and no visitors to their house.

Stuart said they were willing to do whatever they had to to help keep the NRL on the field.

The NRL have a contingency plan of setting up a Queensland bubble, where all NRL teams relocate to the Banana State, but they've said it's more likely they'd move the four Queensland-based sides to NSW.

"I think it's quite safe here in Canberra and that from a bio-security measure I believe it's safe to be playing here and let's hope we don't have to [play home games in Sydney]," he said.

So heavy has the injury and travel toll been the Raiders had their first field session of the week on Wednesday - at the captain's run.

Stuart opted to give the Green Machine an extra day off following a brutal clash against the Melbourne Storm on Saturday.

With just 18 fit players with NRL experience to call on, Stuart has given Fijian winger Semi Valemei his NRL debut against the flying Roosters.

Across the two teams there's 13 players missing from last year's grand final, with nine of those through injury.

"We had our first session just this morning. I gave them an extra recovery day just to try and be as best physically prepared for this game as we can," Stuart said.

"A short turnaround and it's best to be physically prepared more so than anything else at the moment, just making sure their bodies are fully recovered."

Despite that rest, the Raiders still lost Curtis Scott to an infection in a cut on his arm.

It means they have seven players on the sidelines, including star hooker and co-captain Josh Hodgson (knee).

They've started talking to forwards to help bolster their depleted pack, with Canterbury second-rower Corey Harawira-Naera one player on their radar.

That means Raiders halves Jack Wighton and George Williams will need to take more responsibility in guiding the Green Machine around the park.

It would make it the perfect time for a repeat performance of Wighton's last game against the Roosters - when he won the Clive Churchill Medal as the grand final's best player.

Stuart said he'd called on all his senior players to lift.

"I've asked everybody to take a little bit more responsibility," he said.

"Bringing a couple of young players into the squad to play, it's not up to them. You just want them to play according to their skill levels.

"But a couple of senior players it's important they take a little bit more responsibility.

"That's what big games are about. It's important for them to take a little bit more of a load."

NRL ROUND 10

Thursday: Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters at the SCG, 7.50pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker (c), 4. Michael Oldfield, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. George Williams, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Siliva Havili, 10. Dunamis Lui, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Joe Tapine. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Kai O'Donnell, 16. Ryan Sutton, 21. Semi Valemei. Reserves: 18. Matt Frawley, 19. Darby Medlyn, 20. Sam Williams.

Roosters squad: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Matt Ikuvalu, 3. Josh Morris, 4. Joseph Manu, 5. Brett Morris, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Kyle Flanagan, 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9. Jake Friend, 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho, 11. Boyd Cordner, 12. Angus Crichton, 13. Nat Butcher. Interchange: 14. Lachlan Lam, 15. Sitili Tupouniua, 16. Mitchell Aubusson, 17. Lindsay Collins. Reserves: 18. Poasa Faamausili, 19. Ryan Hall, 20. Isaac Liu, 21. Drew Hutchison.