Josh Papalii says Raiders games are defined by the form of Canberra's forward pack - and the engine room is on notice as Ricky Stuart prepares to send a club debutant into the fray.
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Simi Sasagi - who hasn't played an NRL game since 2022 - is poised to make his Raiders debut after being included on the bench for a clash with the Parramatta Eels at Canberra Stadium on Sunday night.
Elliott Whitehead is still sidelined with a calf injury while winger Albert Hopoate will spend another week nursing arm burns before he can make his return.
Ata Mariota joins Canberra's starting line-up with Zac Hosking ruled out after suffering a concussion, paving the way for Sasagi - a versatile 22-year-old who made 16 NRL appearances for Newcastle - to join Canberra's bench in an otherwise unchanged team.
Canberra's forwards are on notice after Stuart's spray - in which he said nobody was solid in a Raiders team beaten by second graders - following last week's capitulation saw them cough up an 18-0 lead to lose 36-22 against a Cronulla outfit missing a host of key forwards.
But he has opted against wholesale changes, with his side now on a collision course with a Parramatta pack headlined by Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Junior Paulo, and the in-form J'maine Hopgood.
It's now clear Stuart's post-match takedown was a rev-up tactic for some players. He publicly put them on blast to try to get a reaction, but we'll have to wait until Sunday evening to find out if it worked.
The Raiders forwards know they have to stand up - and Papalii's comments on the eve of round one say as much.
"Games are always won off the back of how our forward pack goes," Papalii said.
"In saying that, we've got some quality backs. These backs have played for their country and have played some decent footy. Raps [Jordan Rapana], Sebby Kris, Matt Timoko, Hopoate. These guys are capable of playing good games back to back. I have all faith in these men producing it week in, week out.
"In saying that, me and 'Taps' are really focused at the moment on bringing in the newer guys as well.
"You've still got Emre [Guler] and Ata, guys like that. Emre has played like six years now so he's not really new. These guys just need to find their feet and keep playing good footy."
Some Raiders fans have been yearning to see Trey Mooney in the top grade before Sasagi beat him to a vacant place on the bench. Kaeo Weekes is 18th man, joining Mooney, Nick Cotric, Zac Woolford and Guler on the extended bench.
Mooney has averaged 176 running metres in four NSW Cup appearances this year, scoring three tries and breaking 18 tackles in the process. He averages almost 28 tackles per game.
Sasagi has racked up an average of 114 running metres through his four appearances in NSW Cup as he prepares to make his first NRL appearance since leaving Newcastle.
He has been drafted into a side which enjoyed a bright start to the season now desperate to bounce back after suffering back-to-back losses.
"That's what I love about being in Canberra, no one ever gives us a chance," Papalii said.
"Some years we go deep into the finals and some we're first or second week out. It's all about staying focused. There's a few rebuilds in positions but not the whole team.
Games are always won off the back of how our forward pack goes.
- Raiders prop Josh Papalii
"You've still got one of the best front-rowers leading the team in Joseph, and you've got all these forwards behind him which are capable of playing great footy.
"You've got Jamal [Fogarty] and you've got some of the best backs in the game. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and mine is we're going to go good, and I'll stick by that."
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
