Having to sit in the stands as his teammates out-muscled and over-powered the premiership favourites last weekend was punishment for the hardworking prop.

For Shillington, watching three all-in brawls, three players sin-binned and Michael Weyman get knocked out was like waving a red flag in front of a raging bull.

Now he is determined to follow up the Raiders' 24-12 victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons and make up for his month-long absence.

Shillington is set to return to the field against the New Zealand Warriors after a pectoral tear sidelined the 26-year-old for the last five games.

''I'm really confident I'll be right to go, but you can't come back in and be lagging behind everyone else's intensity,'' Shillington said.

More Raiders news in today's Canberra Times