Hungry Canberra Raiders out to test NRL top-four history

Helping their cause will be the hunger gained from last year's finals campaign when they stormed all the way to the grand final.

But they will have to do it without prop Ryan Sutton who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a high-grade medial ligament sprain, but his anterior cruciate ligament has been cleared.

He'll miss six-to-eight weeks after he twisted his knee when it was caught awkwardly in a tackle.

The Bulldogs were the last club to win the premiership from outside the top four when they managed the feat in 1995.

Canberra narrowly missed out on the top-four to finish fifth after Parramatta ran over the top of the Wests Tigers.

For Raiders coach Ricky Stuart the reason it hasn't been done since is a simple one.

But he'll have a raft of rested players returning to the fold to take on the Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.

Stuart said they would all be available for selection, including England international John Bateman (elbow), although he added the young players who stepped in to defeat the Sharks on Saturday had given him some selection headaches.

"I believe the reason nobody's won it outside the top four is that no one's been good enough," he said.

"So if we're good enough we've got the opportunity.

"The gamble I took on the weekend in regards to resting players I think will prove that giving some players some rest, giving some players time to get over some injuries will be a benefit.

"We'll be ready to play. If we're good enough we'll be there at the end."

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Helping that cause was the experience of making last year's grand final, where they controversially lost to the Sydney Roosters in a tight game.

Stuart said they would be better for it as they begin this campaign.

Their first assignment is against a Sharks side that's yet to beat a top-eight side this year.

If they win they'll face the loser between Penrith and the Sydney Roosters.

"Absolutely [last year's experience will help]," Stuart said.

"The way they handled the big occasion last season, the way they handled the build-up to the campaign right throughout the semi-finals is always going to be a great help from a future point of view.

"That experience has opened their eyes, but what it's also done for us is made us so hungry in regards to wanting success."

Sutton was one player who was hungry to play finals this season after missing out last year.

But he'll now have to wait until 2021 for a chance to play in his first NRL final.

"That's the disappointment out of the weekend. I wasn't resting players in fear of injury, I was resting players because they physically needed it," Stuart said.

"He's been a real reason why we've gotten to where we are on the table."

NRL ELIMINATION FINAL

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks, 5.40pm.