But coach Ricky Stuart is hopeful commonsense prevails as fullback Jack Wighton faces a nervous wait to find out if he will be charged by the NRL judiciary for a 71st minute shoulder charge.

Wighton will find out on Monday if he has been cited for a collision with Joel Edwards in the Raiders' thumping win against the Wests Tigers 52-10 at Leichhardt Oval.

Wighton's head appeared to make contact with Edwards, but referee Jared Maxwell put the Canberra star on report. Cronulla Sharks hooker Michael Ennis was not charged for a similar incident earlier on the weekend.

The NRL has outlawed the shoulder charge but Wighton raised his arms in an attempted tackle.

Asked if he was worried about Wighton facing potential suspension, Stuart said: "Not after I heard Michael Ennis got off.

"I'm glad Mick got off because I don't think there's a common sense approach enough in these types of collisions.

"I can see what Michael was trying to do and I think Jack said his head hit Edwards but I haven't seen the replay. I'm not concerned about the Jack Wighton situation."

The Raiders will play the Sharks at Canberra Stadium at 5.30pm on Saturday with the Green Machine under-20s team to play in the curtain-raiser match.

Officials are hoping for a sellout crowd for Canberra's return to the play-offs for the first time since 2012 and the club's fans have every reason to be excited after a year of breaking records.

The Raiders dismantled the Tigers, who were playing for eighth spot on the ladder, on their way to breaking a Canberra record for the most points in a single season.

They also secured their 10th win in a row – the best winning streak in the club's history – and finished second on the ladder for the first time since 1995.

The statistics tell a glowing story and there will be a surge of lime green support as Stuart's men continue to enhance their credentials as a genuine premiership threat.

They will play the Sharks in the capital and have earnt the right to a double chance in the play-offs. If they lose the first week of the finals, they will play the winner of the Canterbury Bulldogs and Penrith Panthers.

But if they win, they will advance straight to the preliminary final in what would be a remarkable turnaround under Stuart's guidance.

Tigers fans were hanging from tree branches on a superb afternoon at their spiritual home and they had hopes their team would topple the Raiders to earn a finals berth.

Instead, the Raiders tore them to shreds in a ruthless display that reminded everyone they are serious title contenders.

Josh Hodgson was the first-half destroyer, setting up two tries and scoring one of his own, but a moment of absolute magic from Joey Leilua best summed up a Green Machine revival.

Leilua, the brilliant Canberra centre, held off one defender with one hand and threw a pass around his back, and the defender's back, to send Jordan Rapana flying down the sideline.

Leilua typifies the turnaround in culture in Canberra. He arrived in the capital as a player struggling to realise his potential. But linking with Stuart has unlocked some razzle dazzle that's setting the NRL alight.

"It's a good momentum booster for us but there's a lot of improvement in our team," Leilua said.

"[The pass] happened so quickly, but I knew if I got the ball to Rapa he would score the try."

The Raiders have boasted champion teams in the past and produced legends including Mal Meninga, Stuart, Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde and more.

But this new generation has an X-factor like no other – scoring 688 points this year to beat the previous Canberra point-scoring record of 677 set in the premiership-winning year of 1994.

"At the start of the year we spoke about creating our own piece of history," Stuart said.

"We've had a lot of great players and eras and teams. But at some stage we had to put our hand up and say we're going to create our own history.

"Whatever happens over the next month is an added bonus. These players have had a wonderful season. I've got confidence in these boys, a lot of belief and that's what they push on to me.

"That's exciting ... beating the Sharks twice within a month – that's tough. It's a tough ask at home or not. I hope our youth and enthusiasm can overcome whatever confronts us."

Josh Papalii and Rapana scored doubles as the Raiders ran in nine tries, with Jarrod Croker, Hodgson, Joe Tapine and Sam Williams all crossing the line.

The Tigers only showed brief moments of resistance as the Raiders spoiled their farewell to Robbie Farah and Dene Halatau.

Finishing second on the ladder earns the Raiders a home final and it is hoped there will be more than 26,000 at Canberra Stadium, with the potential of bringing in temporary seating to cater for the Green Machine bandwagon.

AT A GLANCE

CANBERRA RAIDERS 52 (Josh Papalii 2, Jordan Rapana 2, Jarrod Croker, Josh Hodgson, Joey Leilua, Joe Tapine, Sam Williams tries; Jarrod Croker 6, Aidan Sezer 2 conversions) bt WESTS TIGERS 10 (Josh Aloiai, Tim Grant tries; Jordan Rankin conversion) at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday. Referees: Jared Maxwell and Chris James. Crowd: 18,634.

NRL SEMI-FINAL

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks at 5.30pm. Tickets available to members on Monday and general public on Tuesday.