Corey Horsburgh ruled out of Canberra Raiders' trial with shoulder soreness

Horsburgh will miss the Raiders' first pre-season trial - against the Canterbury Bulldogs at Moruya on Sunday - due to shoulder soreness.

Stuart said they'd take a cautious approach with the young forward, who was named to start at lock against the Bulldogs.

He could be OK to play against the Wests Tigers at Belmore next weekend in their final trial of the pre-season.

Horsburgh's one of the leading contenders to wear the Raiders No.13 jersey come round one, when the Green Machine travels to Townsville to take on the North Queensland Cowboys on March 4.

Stuart also has Corey Harawira-Naera, Trey Mooney and Elliott Whitehead as other options at lock.

The Raiders had their captain's run in Canberra on Saturday before heading down to the South Coast.

"He was complaining about some soreness [on Friday] so I spoke to our medical people. The best thing was decided to give him another week or two and see where he's at," Stuart told The Canberra Times.

Stuart was happy Canberra hooker Tom Starling's more-than-two-year ordeal through the NSW courts was almost over after his charge of hindering police was dismissed on Friday.

Starling's now considering suing the NSW Police after magistrate Daniel Covington ruled the police had failed in their duty by assaulting the Raiders dummy half.

He has one minor charge remaining that could be finalised before the start of the season.

Stuart said he would play in next weekend's trial against the Tigers.

The Raiders coach will use Danny Levi and Zach Woolford as his rakes on Sunday.

"The last two off-seasons it's been hanging over his head," Stuart said.

"He's a very mentally tough kid to be able to not let it affect his football the way he has, has been a credit to his family and his partner.

"It's been very difficult for him and he probably acted the way anyone would the way it happened.

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"I'm happy it's all worked out in Tommy and the family's favour. He'll get his chance next week now."

Stuart's using this first trial as a reward for the young players' efforts during a tough pre-season.

There's also the added reward of fighting for spots in the Raiders' middle.

Emre Guler, Trey Mooney, Ata Mariota and Pasami Saulo are all young middles who have the chance to stake a claim for a spot in the 17 or increase their role through their efforts against the Bulldogs.

"The trial's all about rewarding so many young kids who have worked so hard over the last three months," Stuart said.

"These young blokes have an opportunity to show they can be the next young Raiders coming through.

"They've all got an opportunity to show now at a higher level than what they've all mostly played, and they're going to be led around by some experienced nines - with Zac and Danny Levi, Matty Frawley in the halves.

"So there's experience there to lead the younger players around, but it's a game they need to take by the scruff of the neck if they feel as though they want to be a future NRL player for the Raiders.

"That's what I'm after with this trial is to see the talent of the next crop of young kids."

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