Jarrod Croker's short-term future is in doubt with a hamstring injury ruling him out indefinitely and making the Canberra Raiders captain a week-to-week proposition for an NRL recall.
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Croker will miss the Raiders' clash with the Wests Tigers at Canberra Stadium on Sunday as hooker Adrian Trevilyan prepares to end a 505-day NRL exile.
Trevilyan has been named on Canberra's bench with Tom Starling moving back to the extended squad, while coach Ricky Stuart has been forced into a back line reshuffle.
Seb Kris will replace Croker at centre, while Jordan Rapana moves to fullback and Nick Cotric earns a recall on the wing in search of his first minutes since a round 17 win over the Sydney Roosters.
Trevilyan has played three NSW Cup games since returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a shoulder injury which have so far dashed his hopes of adding to the one NRL appearance he made in round two last year.
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The 22-year-old rejoins a Canberra outfit desperately chasing a win over the Tigers to keep in touch with the top four amid concern their poor points differential, which sits at -78, could cost them a second chance in September.
The Raiders sit fifth on 28 competition points, two shy of fourth-placed Melbourne and two clear of the three sides rounding out the top eight in South Sydney, Cronulla and North Queensland.
Canberra have beaten one top four team in Brisbane and matched it with the New Zealand Warriors a fortnight ago, while premiership contenders Melbourne and the Broncos await in the coming weeks.
Whether anyone can trouble Penrith, who blew the Raiders away in Canberra earlier this year, is the question on the road to the NRL finals.
"I reckon they're still in for a real good shot at it this year," former Raiders playmaker Terry Campese said.
"It's really anyone's game, and on any given weekend you really don't know who is going to win. I think they're in with a real shot.
"I'd love to see them shift a little bit more out of yardage every now and because they've got some weapons on the edges in [Matt] Timoko and Jack [Wighton]. I'd love to see them with the ball in a bit of space."
Elliott Whitehead will assume the captaincy duties while Croker is sidelined.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens has named Daine Laurie at five-eighth while Alex Twal filters into the front-row in place of Stefano Utoikamanu.
Justin Matamua has been added to a new-look bench featuring Jake Simpkin and Asu Kepaoa, with Shawn Blore ruled out following a head knock.
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Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
