The Canberra Raiders play that almost landed them a Parramatta Eels half

But Raiders centre Harley Smith-Shields will see out the NRL season looking to force his way back into the Green Machine - rather than spending the final five rounds with the Parramatta Eels.

The Eels were looking to bolster their outside backs and saw Smith-Shields as an option to do exactly that, joining his former Raiders teammate Bailey Simonsson at the Sydney club.

They have outside backs Maika Sivo out suspended, Haze Dunster out injured and Waqa Blake out of favour as the 11th-placed Eels try to force their way into the eight - starting with their clash against St George Illawarra at Parramatta on Sunday.

Smith-Shields' contracted to the Raiders until the end of 2024, but he would've joined Parramatta until the end of the season - including finals if the Eels made it - before returning to Canberra next season.

It would've given him the opportunity to add to his 15 NRL games across the past four seasons, with a knee reconstruction ending his 2022 campaign before it began.

But Raiders chief executive Don Furner said they decided against it because it wasn't in the best interests of the club.

"It was explored and it didn't work out. With Monday the deadline, things get put to you and you consider them, you make a few phone calls and you try and work through it," Furner said.

"But it's got to be the right deal for both sides and it wasn't. You owe it to your club to explore them, but you also have to do the best thing for your club and this wasn't for us.

"It's got to be the right deal for us. We could be playing against Harley Smith-Shields in a semi-final, he could score the winning try to knock us out and then your fans and your board are going, 'What did you do that for?'.

"So we would have to get something back for that risk and we weren't going to get anything back so it wasn't in our best interest."

The Raiders hoped helping the Eels by loaning them Smith-Shields would open the door for an early release of Parramatta half Ethan Sanders.

Canberra's interested in luring Sanders to the capital to bolster their playmaker stocks following Jack Wighton's decision to join South Sydney next year and the release of Brad Schneider to Hull KR in the English Super League.

But he's contracted to Parramatta for 2024 and they can't sign him for the following year until November 1.

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"If he remains off contract and he's able to negotiate on November 1, we will enter negotiations with him to try and get a contract done for '25-26 and that would be our first goal," Furner said.

While Smith-Shields will likely play NSW Cup for the Raiders this week, young hooker Adrian Trevilyan has the chance to play his first NRL game since round two last year - and just his second NRL game.

Raiders fullback Jordan Rapana praised the 22-year-old's resilience and felt his battle back from injury would help inspire the Green Machine.

Trevilyan had a knee reconstruction and shoulder surgery late last year, while the COVID-19 pandemic also hindered his development.

His inclusion will allow fellow dummy-half Tom Starling to play big minutes in NSW Cup.

"He's shown a lot of resilience, old 'Trev'. He's carried two massive season-ending injuries so to see him get back at 100 per cent and now be rewarded with a first-grade spot it's awesome to see," Rapana said.

"I've no doubt he'll go out there and give it his everything."

NRL ROUND 23

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Jordan Rapana, 2. Albert Hopoate, 3. Sebastian Kris, 4. Matt Timoko, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papali'i, 9. Zac Woolford, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (c), 13. Corey Horsburgh. Interchange: 14. Adrian Trevilyan, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Ata Mariota. Reserves: 18. Michael Asomua, 19. Matt Frawley, 20. Tom Starling, 21. Trey Mooney, 22. Ethan Strange.

Tigers squad: 1. Jahream Bula, 2. David Nofoaluma, 3. Starford To'a, 4. Junior Tupou, 5. Charlie Staines, 6. Daine Laurie, 7. Luke Brooks, 8. Alex Twal, 9. Apisai Koroisau (c), 10. David Klemmer, 11. Isaiah Papali'i, 12. John Bateman, 13. Fonua Pole. Interchange: 14. Jake Simpkin, 15. Justin Matamua, 16. Aitasi James, 17. Asu Kepaoa. Reserves: 18. Tallyn Da Silva, 19. Alex Seyfarth, 20. Will Smith, 21. Kit Laulilii, 22. Josh Feledy.

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