The former junior Kiwi is intent on staking his claim to be the Raiders' first-choice hooker despite Josh McCrone being groomed for a positional switch and the club signing Brisbane rake Kurt Baptiste.

McIlwrick is on a personalised pre-season schedule to limit the workload on his knee to ensure it doesn't swell after every session.

The 22-year-old has osteoarthritis - where cartilage is eroded and leaves bone-on-bone in the knee - and played through pain last season. But McIlwrick has worked with Raiders staff to change his training schedule to maximise his game time.

''I've never felt any fitter or stronger in my life,'' McIlwrick said. ''The cartilage wears down, you can play through it but it did play on my mind a bit and hinder me last season.

''It used to swell up quite a bit after each game and training … it was frustrating. But this year I'm on a strict regime … I've built my quads up to take pressure off my knees and I've never felt better.''

McIlwrick's training schedule is modified so he can do the running sessions with his teammates, but to prevent pain he occasionally swaps to the exercise bike for a five-minute challenge.

''I love running and trying to beat everyone … but I jump on the bike and after the challenge you can't really walk properly,'' McIlwrick said.

The Raiders are ramping up pre-season training under new coach Ricky Stuart. McIlwrick, who has played 12 NRL games, wants to ''show everyone what I can do'' and earn a regular place in the line-up.

Regular No.9 Glen Buttriss is recovering from shoulder surgery and McIlwrick will battle McCrone and Baptiste for the role.

''It's a great opportunity for me … I'm looking forward to the challenge. I've got my confidence back,'' he said. ''It's a tussle, I'd like to stay at hooker instead of worrying about two positions so I can develop my skills and show everyone what I can do.''

Stuart is challenging senior Raiders to prove their leadership credentials with actions instead of words. Prop Dane Tilse's contract expires at the end of next season and he is keen to stay in Canberra for at least two more years.

Tilse, who played every match this year, has spent the past eight seasons with the Raiders and hopes to speak with Stuart about his future at the start of next year.

''My preference would be to stay in Canberra but we'll have to see what Ricky thinks,'' Tilse, 29, said. ''My goal is to get another two-year deal. Ricky has been really hard but fair at training and demands success, that's what we want to give him to create a better winning culture. We haven't been in the top four the whole time I've been here … You can talk all day and talk a bit of crap, or you can train hard and see who the leaders are through their actions.''