Canberra Raiders five-eighth Todd Carney says the first three weeks of the NRL season will be pivotal to his representative selection chances this year.
The Raiders start their NRL season against the Manly Sea-Eagles at Brookvale Oval on Saturday, and Carney is pitted against star recruit Jamie Lyon in the No6 jersey.
Carney, 20, will then lock horns with Melbourne superstar Greg Inglis in round two and rising Newcastle tyro Jarrod Mullen in round three.
Despite playing the majority of last season as a halfback, Carney has set his sights on making a senior representative debut for New South Wales Country. Selectors will pick that side after round five.
"We've got three tough sides and then Country Origin starts getting picked," Carney said.
"So if I can get a few games ahead with that, if I play good, hopefully I'll get the name thrown in the mix for that."
Former Parramatta centre Lyon signed with Manly in the off-season after a stint in the British Super League.
The 25-year-old will combine with respected halfback Matt Orford, forming one of the competition's most exciting halves pairings.
Carney said he would be wary of Lyon's renowned ball-running ability but was confident of forging a similarly dangerous partnership with Raiders halfback Michael Dobson.
"Jamie Lyon, it's going to be a new position for him playing five-eighth and also for me and Dobbo playing our first game at the highest level together," he said.
"In our trials we've been pretty stable but we've got to lift a notch to play these sides and I think we've just got to worry about our game and not worry about them too much.
"I've never played against [Lyon] and don't know too much about him but I won't be taking him lightly I tell you."
Carney said the young Raiders squad - who are $4.50 underdogs with ACTTAB to beat Manly - were excited about the prospect of proving the doubters wrong.
Canberra upset Manly 27-14 in the round one match last year.
The Goulburn product was bracing himself for a Sea-Eagles backlash.
"It's going to be a big test this week," he said.
"They'll be out as ready as we'll be to win and like any team, to get a win round one, and with us beating them last year, they'll have a bit of fire in the belly to beat us."
The Manly match represents a first for both new Raiders coach Neil Henry, who will guide an NRL team as head coach for the first time, and new captain Alan Tongue.
Tongue, 26, who will start at lock on Saturday, said a first-up win would keep negative press at bay.
"I think it'd be great, it might settle a few people outside of the organisation down a bit with their comments," Tongue said.
The 88kg tackling machine said the Raiders had the ability to surprise critics and opposition alike this year.
"I think so. We haven't talked too much about the paper and what everybody's trying to say, we're just taking on our jobs and if we keep doing that, we will trouble a few sides."
Henry will name an 18 or 19 man squad today.
Centre David Howell, recovering from a quad tear, is likely earn selection although a decision on his fitness will be determined tomorrow.
If Howell misses, one of fullback candidates Marshall Chalk and William Zillman will start at centre.
Henry has a wealth of front-row options at his disposal, props Michael Weyman, Dane Tilse, Troy Thompson, Josh Miller and Scott Logan all vying for selection in the match day 17, which the team will announce later in the week.
POSSIBLE RAIDERS SQUAD: Marshall Chalk, Colin Best, Phil Graham, David Howell, Adrian Purtell, Todd Carney, Michael Dobson, Michael Weyman, Lincoln Withers, Dane Tilse, Neville Costigan, Matt Bickerstaff, Alan Tongue (c), Josh Miller, Troy Thompson, Scott Logan, Glen Turner, Andrew Dunemann, William Zillman.
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