Canberra are expecting their biggest crowd in almost three years when they host the Sydney Roosters in a mouth-watering NRL clash on Sunday.

Raiders boss Don Furner confirmed the club is tracking for around 19,000 fans, which would be their biggest crowd since hosting the 2016 preliminary final against Cronulla.

Canberra are third on the ladder after winning four straight and seven of their past eight, while the reigning premiers sit second with five rounds remaining.

Furner believes Canberra is once again becoming one of the toughest places in the competition to win.

“You turn on the television and I watched the Roosters playing yesterday at the SCG or Souths at ANZ Stadium, to me it just doesn’t look good, it hasn’t got it,” Furner told AAP.

“But when you’ve got a one-team town, the atmosphere there is fantastic. We do have some challenges in terms of where we are but by the same token, being a one-team town does give you those special occasions at a big match.

“Wayne Bennett said it at the start of this year, for the Souths game, he said it’s an incredible atmosphere here compared to ANZ.

“Sydney is so big things can get lost, there are so many other events on, it’s not like the town stops when there’s a game of footy on, where it does in those smaller towns.”

Canberra prop Sia Soliola backed big crowd numbers to drive the Raiders’ return to the finals for the first time in three years.

“There was that 2016 period, we went pretty good. That experience, having tasted what Canberra can do when we all connect, it’s really powerful” Soliola said.

“Sunday football is really catered to the Canberra community and I know a lot of people are really looking forward to watching this one, given where we’re at and where they’re at.”

His front-row partner Josh Papalii added: “The boys are really excited this week and I definitely know with Viking Clap, the louder it is the boys just seem to respond.”