Plans for the Kangaroos to meet Tonga for an October Test in New York have stalled after the NRL laid bare the costs of a potential clash to promoter Ricky Wilby.

The NRL is working to have an answer on the prospect of a Test match that would pit the likes of Greg Inglis and Boyd Cordner against Havili, Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita at the 25,000-seat Red Bull Stadium.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga is keen to exhaust all options in a bid to make the Test happen - even floating the prospect of playing the match in New Zealand, where Tonga enjoyed amazing support during last year's World Cup.

Havili has played nine Tests for Tonga and played a key role in their Pacific Test triumph over Samoa in June, with the nation beginning to emerge as an international powerhouse following the pledge of allegiance from Taumalolo, Fifita and Tevita Pangai Jnr - although the latter is having second thoughts.

Havili joins injured Raiders teammate Michael Oldfield in calling for the landmark Test to go ahead in the hope the tiny island nation can make waves in the rugby league world.

"It’s big for us all in the Tongan team itself, but not only that, it’s big for our little nation," Havili said.

"I think it’s big for the game of rugby league, we want to test ourselves against the world champions and we’re hopeful that we get that Test.

"I don’t know where it’s at at the moment but it would be really big for ourselves and most importantly for the game itself."

Havili's next assignment before pulling on the Tongan jersey is navigating the Raiders through a tough run home, beginning with a trip to Penrith to face the Penrith Panthers on Sunday.

The Green Machine has not beaten a top eight team this season and they face four of them in the final five rounds, but there is a sliver of hope the Raiders can force their way into the finals.

That is more than enough motivation for Havili as he looks to repay the Raiders for the faith the club showed in him this season.

Havili is adamant the Raiders will be able to spring some upsets in the run home in victories that would be assured to "build character, it’s going to build camaraderie within the team".

"It’s a big job, we’ve got some of the boys leaving at the end of the year. We want to make some memories with them before they leave at season’s end," Havili said.

"For myself, I’m going to just try to keep playing consistent good footy and don’t get comfortable with where I’m at, just keep working hard and [the same goes] for other guys competing for that spot whether it’s in the starting [side] or the bench.

"If we get our troops back, and I’m not saying that’s an excuse or anything, but there is still a mindset, there is still a belief in us that the eight is still there for us.

"We’ve done it the hard way, we’ve got to wait on other results we can’t control but we can only control what we can, and that’s by taking each week with an aggressive mindset and attacking that.

"We always know with the brand of footy we play, when we turn up and play that brand of footy we know we are capable of, we’re a hard team to play against."

NRL ROUND 21

Sunday: Penrith Panthers v Canberra Raiders at Panthers Stadium, 4.10pm. TV: Live on Nine and Fox League.

Raiders squad: 1. Nick Cotric, 2. Brad Abbey, 3. Blake Austin, 4. Joseph Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Aidan Sezer, 7. Sam Williams, 8. Iosia Soliola, 9. Josh Hodgson (c), 10. Junior Paulo, 11. Joseph Tapine, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Josh Papalii. Interchange: 14. Dunamis Lui, 15. Shannon Boyd, 16. Siliva Havili, 17. Luke Bateman, 18. Liam Knight, 19. Jack Murchie, 20. Makahesi Makatoa, 21. Emre Guler.

Panthers squad: 1. Tyrone Peachey, 2. Josh Mansour, 3. Waqa Blake, 4. Dean Whare, 5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 6. James Maloney (c), 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Moses Leota, 9. Sione Katoa, 10. James Tamou, 11. Viliame Kikau, 12. Isaah Yeo, 13. James Fisher-Harris. Interchange: 14. Tyrone May, 15. Trent Merrin, 16. Jack Hetherington, 17. Corey Harawira-Naera, 18. Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 19. Kaide Ellis, 20. Christian Crichton, 21. Wayde Egan.