Cotric is enjoying a golden start to his career, scoring three tries in his first six games including the match-winner against the Parramatta Eels two weeks ago.

But the 18-year-old former Erindale College student insists he's avoiding the hype to focus on getting better by learning off one of the game's best wingers.

Cotric and Rapana have teamed up as the Raiders' wingers in every game this season and they'll be together again for the Green Machine's clash against the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday.

Coach Ricky Stuart has kept the same game-day squad to play the Warriors at Canberra Stadium as the Raiders target a hat-trick of wins for the first time this year.

The match will double as an Anzac Test preview, with Rapana set to take on several of his New Zealand teammates before they join forces to play Australia in Canberra on May 5.

Cotric's only focus is continuing to establish himself in the top grade after becoming one of the youngest players in Raiders history to be offered a full-time contract.

"It's going pretty good, the boys are helping me out heaps and I'm just enjoying my footy at the moment," Cotric said.

"Life is great at the moment, I'm enjoying every step and taking every week under my belt. I've just got out of school so playing footy is a dream come true.

"[The players] are helping me out heaps, they're my mates on and off the field ... I know I need to work on my fitness and look up to Rapana and basically follow what he does.

"I'm still young and I've got a lot of improvement to do, so I'll stay grounded."

The Raiders have an unchanged 17-man squad for the first time this year after avoiding injuries and suspension in a win against the Gold Coast Titans last weekend.

However, they have added Makahesi Makatoa on an extended bench to replace Dave Taylor with the interchange to be trimmed later in the week.

The Raiders' right-side combination of Rapana and Joey Leilua fired on the Gold Coast last week as the pair left a path of destruction against the Titans.

Cotric is trying to forge his own wing-centre partnership with Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker, but is happy to let Rapana and Leilua do the heavy lifting when they're in the zone.

"Rapana and Joey are just freaks, so it's good to get the ball out to them," Cotric said.

"Croker is teaching me heaps in and out of footy as well so that's good to learn off him."

Rapana will almost certainly play for New Zealand against Australia in the Anzac clash at Canberra Stadium next month.

Leilua has emerged as a bolter in the Australian squad after coach Mal Meninga earmarked the 25-year-old as a candidate for his Test debut.

"I would love to play rep footy for New South Wales and the Kangaroos," Leilua told NRL.com.

"It's a rep side and I think the best players should play and if I'm not the best player at the time then I shouldn't be playing.

"I don't worry about what people think about my game, it's all about the team. I play for the Raiders and they're the ones that pay me and so if they don't like my footy then they would have kicked me out.

"But I guess I'm playing good footy and I just stick to my game plan and help the boys out every week."

NRL ROUND SEVEN

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v New Zealand Warriors at Canberra Stadium, 5.30pm.

Raiders team: 1. Jack Wighton, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker, 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Blake Austin, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Junior Paulo, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Shannon Boyd, 11. Josh Papalii, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Joe Tapine. Interchange: 14. Adam Clydsdale, 15. Luke Bateman, 16. Clay Priest, 17. Sia Soliola, 18. Dunamis Lui, 19. Jordan Turner, 20. Makahesi Makatoa. 21. Lachlan Croker (four to be omitted).