The Green Machine has clicked into gear to lead the NRL in scoring, and Raiders hooker Josh Hodgson is confident Canberra can maintain its attacking momentum with halfback Mitch Cornish back in the driver's seat.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Canberra's 56-16 win over the Gold Coast Titans was the team's biggest victory since 2010, shooting them up the ladder to fifth spot and ranking them first in attack in the NRL.
Cornish has been named to get another shot in the NRL after halfback Sam Williams suffered a collapsed lung in Saturday's win over the Titans.
Cornish was demoted to NSW Cup after Canberra lost three of their opening four games, the Raiders then averaging 14 points a game.
That figure has sky-rocketed since Sam Williams and Blake Austin came together in the halves. The Raiders have won four of their past five matches and have averaged 31 points a match.
The Raiders are preparing for Sunday's match against the Dragons with an extended squad, which includes Josh McCrone on standby. But Cornish is expected to keep the spot as the 22-year-old fights for his NRL future. The former Junior Kangaroo representative is off contract at the end of the season.
"If Mitch plays he'll be a great addition," Hodgson said. "Sammy's been doing a great job. (I have) every confidence in Mitch, he's a fantastic young kid and a fantastic player.
"In the pre-season, we did a lot of ball work with all the halves in the squad.
"The game plan will be staying the same and they will know it, so there shouldn't be any mix-ups there."
In contrast to Canberra's attack, the Dragons have lifted to third on the NRL ladder on the back of the league's best defence. The Dragons have conceded a miserly 11.33 points per game this season.
The Dragons revived their season with a round three comeback against the Raiders, falling behind 18-0 before storming back to win 22-20 at Canberra Stadium.
"It was a bit of a shock to the system," Hodgson said.
"We realised even if you're up by 18 like we were, if you take your foot off the gas and start to slip and not complete your sets, you're going to come unstuck," Hodgson said.
"It was a bit of a turning point and a bit of a lesson learnt and one that hopefully won't happen again because it was a very disappointing day."
Former Australian prop David Shillington could possibly play his first NRL game of the season, named 18th man for the Raiders after coming back from a serious thumb injury.
There has been speculation linking Shillington in a mid-season move to the Dragons, but the Raiders claim they have not received any formal approach for a release.
