Canberra Raiders face decision time over Jarrod Croker and Nick Cotric

Stuart was slightly lost for answers after Canberra beat the Dragons 36-26, struggling to explain what went wrong in his side's second-half defensive collapse.

Green Machine fans questioned if round 19 might've marked the end of Croker's glittering NRL career after his poor defensive display alongside back-up five-eighth Matt Frawley, who was thrust into the starting side from 18th man before kick-off.

Eighth Immortal Andrew Johns described the Croker-Frawley defensive pairing in Wollongong as "grim" and called for outside-back Nick Cotric to return into the Raiders' starting 13.

"Two or three years ago, Cotric was playing Origin," Johns said on Nine.

"He has to be in the equation to come in on that left side, because the left-side defence was absolutely terrible.

"That's an issue for [Croker] over his career - great attacking player, great goal-kicker, but defensively, there's always question marks."

Initially named on the interchange against the Dragons, Cotric was swapped with Frawley to 18th man, as Stuart shifted Jack Wighton to lock to add experience to the middles with Corey Horsburgh (Origin), Josh Papali'i (injury) and Pasami Saulo (concussion) out.

Cotric had also played 80 minutes in the earlier NSW Cup fixture, which gave him an opportunity to get some game time after just 24 minutes in NRL bench roles since round 15.

It's understood Cotric pulled up just fine from the reserve-grade clash in which he posted a game-high 228 total run metres on the wing with two line breaks, three offloads and a try.

While Cotric had a day out in NSW Cup, it was a night to forget for Croker, who clearly battled in defence beside Frawley instead of Wighton.

All five of the Dragons' tries from Mikaele Ravalawa and Zac Lomax came down the left edge, and through Croker and Frawley.

The first from Ravalawa saw the big winger mow down the Raiders pair to score, and the second try to Lomax was the result of Croker knocking-on.

The 32-year-old then exposed his wing by rushing up to make a tackle which set up Ravalawa again, then Lomax leaped over Croker for his double.

The last Dragons try was most brutal to replay, with Croker and Frawley beaten by superior skill and speed on the edge.

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The late fades have caused some concern for Stuart and NRL pundits, despite their impressive joint standing atop the ladder off the back of five wins from their last six starts.

Johns still backed the Raiders as a genuine premiership contender, with their uncanny knack of knocking off the best teams in the competition making them a threat.

"When they put it together, for sure [they can beat any team]," he said. "They're a dangerous footy team. We've seen it during the year, they've taken some big scalps."

The Raiders will return from the bye in round 21 against the Warriors in Auckland where Papali'i, Saulo and Horsburgh should return. Fringe fullback Xavier Savage is out for at least three weeks with a hamstring injury.

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