The Canberra enforcer squares off with Brisbane Broncos duo Petero Civoniceva and Ben Hannant two days before the Australian team will be named to face New Zealand in the Anzac Test.

Shillington has been in career-best form in the opening six weeks of the competition, and will be strongly backed to run out against the Kiwis in Auckland on Friday week.

Shillington had been in doubt for the Eden Park encounter after suffering a torn abdominal muscle in the round four loss to the Sydney Roosters.

However, he made an early than expected return in last weekend's 32-12 win against the New Zealand Warriors and yesterday declared he was raring to rip into the Kiwis if given the chance.

''Fingers crossed for selection on Sunday and hopefully I'll be right to go for Friday night,'' Shillington said.

''I've only missed that one game this year, and I'm playing big minutes at the moment, so I'm happy with my fitness levels and the match time that I've been getting.''

Batsmen around the country would be pleased to have racked up as many centuries as Shillington this season. He has recorded triple figures in metres gained in four of his five games, the only time he fell short coming when he left the field early against the Roosters.

Shillington has put the pain of last season behind him, when two torn pectoral muscles ruled him out of the entire State of Origin series.

He was able to recover in time for the Four Nations, and struck up a successful combination with North Queensland Cowboys prop Matt Scott.

But with Scott sidelined with a foot injury, the door is open for a handful of front rowers to thrust their names in front of the selectors.

Civoniceva would be one of the first picked, but it's uncertain whether the 45-Test veteran will elect to continue his international career.

Hannant, St George Illawarra's Michael Weyman, Newcastle's Kade Snowden and Gold Coast's Nate Myles will all come into contention.

There is also the possibility of Paul Gallen reprising the front-row role he occupied so strongly for NSW last year. Shillington said that vast array of depth was what was needed against a powerful New Zealand pack.

''The last couple years not as many props have put their hand up for selection, but at the moment there's probably six or seven props they could pick for this game,'' Shillington said.

''I'm not sure if Matty Scott's going to be available, it'd be nice to partner up with him again. Benny Hannant's in pretty good form and Michael Weyman's playing well too.''

The Raiders are expected to name an unchanged side to face the red-hot Broncos, with forward Trevor Thurling likely to be miss another week with a knee injury.

The Broncos have won five of their six games to loom as the closest challengers to the unbeaten Melbourne Storm for the title.

They were dealt a blow yesterday, with second-rower Ben Te'o cited on a grade-three dangerous contact charge. Te'o's hit on Tiger Matt Groat last Friday earnt him a three-match ban with an early guilty plea.

But given Brisbane's announcement yesterday that the club would fight the ban at the NRL judiciary, Te'o risks a month on the sidelines.

FRIDAY

NRL Round 7: Brisbane Broncos v Canberra Raiders at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, 7.30pm. TV Time: Live on WIN.