How do the Canberra Raiders fill the headgear left behind by inspirational skipper Jarrod Croker?
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That's the question on coach Ricky Stuart's mind amidst fears the Raiders could be without Croker for their run home after he suffered a dislocated kneecap against the North Queensland Cowboys.
It is believed to be the same injury he suffered in the NRL All Stars game last year which kept him sidelined for five weeks, putting a dampener on their 38-12 rout at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.
Croker grimaced as his left knee folded under him early in the contest, and he quickly fell to the turf after trying to put weight on it.
A quick tape job was ultimately no match for a kneecap that kept popping out of place, and Croker collapsed in the 30th minute like he'd been snipered to send shockwaves around the stadium.
It brought his night to a premature end and gave Blake Austin another chance to prove himself - and he scored in a matter of moments to suggest he can plug the gap. The impending return of Brad Abbey gives Stuart another combination to tinker with.
Aidan Sezer took control of the kicking tee, and he is certainly a solid replacement - he has a better strike rate than Croker.
But the absence of their inspirational skipper and a reliable centre will be a massive blow for a Raiders outfit battling to stay in touch with the top eight.
Replacing Wighton
Amidst all the hysteria of Canberra's stand-off with the NRL over the Jack Wighton saga, it appears the Raiders have the perfect replacement sitting on their doorstep.
Raiders chairman Allan Hawke says the NRL's decision to up Wighton's ban from six games to 10 was excessive and set an "extraordinary precedent", and Stuart was also left fuming.
Easily overlooked is the young star filling Wighton's shoes that fell just two games short of Phil Blake's all-time record for tries in consecutive matches.
Nick Cotric had scored in eight straight games before the Cowboys clash. He is brilliant in attack and no mug in defence - Cotric's rise put him on the cusp of wearing a sky blue jersey this season, an honour that won't elude him for long.
And the man in Cotric's spot on the wing? Michael Oldfield, who scored a lazy hat-trick against the Cowboys.
The run home
Seven games left. At least six wins needed. The firing Green Machine's finals hopes are on life support but they haven't flatlined.
On the radar? Six top eight teams and a mob buoyed by the return of its prodigal son that just happens to be snapping at Canberra's heels - and all have more favourable draws than the Raiders.
The Raiders have made a habit of going on remarkable winning streaks towards the business end of the season to storm into the top eight, having done so four times in the past decade.
This one seems a bridge too far, but this outfit loves proving people wrong. The Brisbane Broncos and New Zealand Warriors could soon be hearing Canberra's footsteps.
Rampant Rapana
Jordan Rapana is one of the most lethal attacking weapons in rugby league and now he has proven it to every single club.
Two tries against the Cowboys means Rapana has now scored against every NRL club bar one - the Raiders.
The Green Machine would be mad to let the Kiwi international go, so it looks like that's the way it will stay.