Canberra Raiders prop Paul Vaughan believes making the finals is a realistic goal this year, but says consistency will be the key to turning that into a reality.
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Sixth on the NRL ladder after 10 rounds, the Raiders have exceeded all pre-season expectations heading into Sunday's match with an Origin-depleted Bulldogs at Canberra Stadium.
The Raiders were given a reality check in a 32-18 loss to the second-placed St George Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium on Sunday.
That ended the Raiders' three-game winning streak and a chance to enter the top four for the first time at this point in the season since 2005.
Country Origin representative Vaughan – one of the Raiders' best against the Dragons – said there was a genuine belief they could make the finals.
"We're a completely different team to what we were last year," Vaughan said. "We've been playing some good footy, so we just have to get that consistency.
"We had the loss yesterday, so we've got to get back in the grind of things this week and stay up there."
The Raiders have missed the finals in the past two seasons.
They finished 13th in 2013 with a 10-14 record and 15th last year winning just eight of their 24 games in Ricky Stuart's first year in charge.
Stuart recruited heavily in the off season to bolster his roster, bringing in experienced players Sia Soliolia, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Josh Hodgson and Sisa Waqa, along with a new halves combination of Blake Austin and Sam Williams.
The changes will continue next season with the addition of English second-rower Elliott Whitehead and Gold Coast Titans playmaker Aidan Sezer, while Newcastle Knights centre Joey Leilua is all but confirmed as well.
Williams will resume training this week after missing the Dragons game with a punctured lung.
It is uncertain whether he will return against the Bulldogs, but it could give recalled halfback Mitch Cornish another chance in the No.7 jersey.
Cornish had a hand in two of the Raiders' three tries against the Dragons in his first game back after being dropped from the side in round four.
"I thought Mitch went pretty well in his first game back," Vaughan said. "The biggest thing with first grade is your confidence. As soon as you start playing with confidence it starts showing on the field.
"Mitch has a lot of confidence as a halfback and I'm sure he can build on that."
The Raiders will face a Bulldogs side that could be without up to four players on State-of-Origin duty.
Halfback Trent Hodkinson, centre Josh Morris and forwards Josh Jackson and David Klemmer are in the mix for the NSW team.
"Everyone knows the Bulldogs have a big forward pack and they're very strong through the middle," Vaughan said. "They're a quality team and that's why they've been in the finals for so many years.
"It's a good test for us and that's what we strive for to see where we are at."
