Hingano could miss the first two months of the NRL season as he prepares to undergo shoulder surgery this week, leaving Sezer and Williams to steer the ship for the Raiders after Blake Austin departed for Warrington.

The playmaker suffered a dislocated shoulder early in Tonga's historic Test match against the Australian Kangaroos last week with the injury eventually forcing him off the field.

Hingano will likely be unavailable for at least the first six rounds of the 2019 season after scans revealed surgery is the only option if the 21-year-old is to make a full recovery.

The shoulder injury further dampens Hingano's first year in the capital after long-term ankle and knee injuries limited him to nine games for the Green Machine last season.

However the Raiders have received some positive news with skipper Jarrod Croker given the all clear to begin pre-season training with the main squad over the next week.

Croker will begin running from day one but will not begin contact until after the Christmas break following a knee injury that brought his 2018 campaign to a premature end.

The Green Machine have a handful of spots available on their roster for the 2019 season but chief executive Don Furner is adamant the club will not rush to plug gaps in the midst of a league-wide coach and player upheaval.

The Raiders will open their 2019 campaign on the road against the Gold Coast Titans at Robina Stadium on March 17, before welcoming the Melbourne Storm to Canberra on March 22.