They’ve done it already this season and a near full-strength Canberra hope to embarrass NRL powerhouse Canterbury again when the two sides meet on Sunday.
Veteran forward Sia Soliola and lock Shaun Fensom are set to return for the clash at GIO Stadium as the Raiders chase their first back-to-back wins since the season’s opening two rounds.
Soliola broke his arm in their 22-8 upset win over the Bulldogs seven weeks ago, and missed the weekend’s match against the Warriors to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.
Fensom also didn’t travel to New Zealand because of a shoulder injury but both will be back alongside Jeff Lima, who returned from injury last Saturday.
“It’s important to have those types of senior people in your team because they’ve got a lot of games under their belt and a lot of games brings experience,” coach Ricky Stuart said.
“When you’re playing against such an experienced team in the Bulldogs, matching that experience is important.”
The seventh-placed Raiders stunned the Bulldogs in round five – at Belmore no less – with their young forwards dominating their rivals’ representative-standard pack.
Prop Paul Vaughan reckons Des Hasler’s men will still be hurting from that loss.
“They were embarrassed in front of their home crowd at Belmore,” he said on Tuesday.
“We challenged ourselves to get it over their forwards and we did that day.
“We’re expecting to do the same thing again but it’s going to be a tough game.”
Stuart said there was no doubt the Dogs, missing Josh Morris, David Klemmer and Josh Jackson to NSW State of Origin duties, would have the April game in the back of their mind.
“They’ll be out to even up the score,” he said. “It’s a big game again.”
The Raiders will be wearing special jersey that will feature the Ricky Stuart Foundation logo, in a bid to promote and raise money for Autism Wellbeing.
Thousands of cardboard headgear will also be given to fans to celebrate skipper Jarrod Croker’s club point-scoring record – which he set in the loss to St George Illawarra a fortnight ago.
