But despite finishing second in the 2016 season and playing two of the top-rated teams, the Raiders will be snubbed from free-to-air coverage with their first two rounds to be played on Saturday nights.

The NRL will publish its draw for the 2017 season on Thursday but the Raiders round one and two opponents have been locked in as the North Queensland Cowboys and Cronulla Sharks.

The 2015 champion Cowboys and 2016 premiers Sharks will give Ricky Stuart's men a chance to prove themselves as they start in Townsville before returning to Canberra to play Cronulla.

It will also give Raiders fans a chance to have an early crack at the Sharks after the visitors mocked the Viking Clap when they beat the Raiders in the opening week of the finals this year.

The Sharks toppled the Raiders 16-14 in a tense qualifying final at Canberra Stadium in September before Michael Ennis rubbed Green Machine noses in it after full-time.

Ennis retired after the Sharks beat the Melbourne Storm to win their first NRL title, but Raiders fans have long memories and the week-two clash is a perfect way to kick-start the year at home.

The Raiders have returned to pre-season training as they begin their mission to go one step better than they did in a record-breaking 2016 campaign.

The Raiders season this year was the club's best since 1995, but they suffered heartbreak when they were knocked out of the title race by the Storm in a preliminary final.

2017 NRL season

Round one (March 4): North Queensland Cowboys v Canberra Raiders at Townsville.

Round two (March 11): Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Stadium.