Stuart's options to boost struggling Raiders

Elliott Whitehead, Albert Hopoate, Zac Woolford and Nick Cotric could all be options for the Canberra Raiders side to face Manly at Brookvale on Friday night.

Stuart said Whitehead (calf) could be back for just his second game of the year, replacing Simi Sasagi, which would add valuable experience to a young side that currently only has three players older than 25.

Hopoate played 58 minutes in NSW Cup on Sunday, having put his arm burns from a barbecue accident behind him, and could slot onto the wing.

Cotric scored a double in NSW Cup as he continued to bide his time for an NRL return, while Woolford could come into the hooker rotation for his first NRL game of the season.

Starting rake Danny Levi was taken off during the first half of the Raiders' 40-0 loss to the Sharks - just after he dropped the ball with the tryline begging in what was one of a number of costly mistakes.

It was the first time the Raiders have been kept scoreless since round two in 2013 - a 36-0 loss to the Gold Coast Titans on the Gold Coast - and the first time they'd been kept scoreless at home since losing 40-0 to Wests Tigers in round 13, 2012.

It was just the 11^th time they've failed to score in the club's history.

That was largely due to missed tackles, 64 in total, and their 12 errors, with at least four of those costing them try-scoring opportunities - Levy, James Schiller and Sasagi all spilled the ball in try scoring situations, while Ethan Strange lost the ball in the put down after a try-saving Will Kennedy tackle.

Raiders fullback Jordan Rapana (knee) could return after their round 10 bye, while Corey Horsburgh (groin) was expected back at a similar time.

With halfback Jamal Fogarty (biceps) out for three months, it's left a massive experience void in the Raiders backline.

In a sign of just how young they are, stats guru David Middleton - author of the official NRL annual - said the Green Machine had an average age of just 24 years and 139 days against the Sharks - the youngest team fielded in the NRL this season.

It was also the youngest Raiders backline in a decade.

In round 26, 2014, Stuart sent out Jack Wighton, Bill Tupou, Jarrod Croker, Jeremy Hawkins, Edrick Lee, Anthony Milford and Mitch Cornish - who had an average age three days younger than Sunday's seven.

Canberra's halves pairing of Kaeo Weekes (12 games) and Ethan Strange (eight) were also the club's most inexperienced halves since round 12, 2009, when Josh McCrone (two) and Marc Herbert (13) lined up against the Rabbitohs.

NRL ROUND NINE

Friday: Canberra Raiders v Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale, 6pm.