Joe Tapine's looming three-month stint on the sideline has paved the way for the Canberra Raiders to call on their seventh club debutant of the season as they surge up the NRL ladder.
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Key back-rower Tapine is set to miss up to 12 weeks with ankle ligament damage in another cruel blow with medical staff to determine if he needs surgery once swelling subsides.
It has opened the door for JJ Collins to make his club debut after being named on the bench for a clash with the Brisbane Broncos at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.
Collins is set to be the newest face to join Canberra's Forever Green club, following in the footsteps of John Bateman, Ryan Sutton, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Hudson Young, Corey Horsburgh, and Bailey Simonsson this year alone.
The 23-year-old forward, formerly known as JJ Felise, has played 15 NRL games over three seasons with the Wests Tigers and Newcastle Knights.
The move to Canberra will soon pay off with Raiders officials saying Tapine is not due back until round 15 at the earliest.
Injuries have limited Tapine to just three games this season, and in two of those he failed to reach the final siren.
"I was with him this morning and obviously he is pretty disappointed after suffering a few injuries this year. He has got a long, long career ahead of him and these things happen," Soliola said.
"It's hard for any player that plays rugby league to escape these kinds of things but he is a tough lad and knows what he needs to do to come back.
"Everyone is different, and that's what you've got to identify, how they respond or how they react in certain weeks. You just manage them through the stages of rehab.
"One week will be tough and then in another week they'll be flying. Everyone is just really looking out for those guys. We've just got to do what we can to get around them and do what good friends do."
The inclusion of Canberra's two English imports will ease the strain on coach Ricky Stuart as he looks to plug the gap left by the Kiwi star over the coming months.
Bateman will hold his place in the second-row while Sutton locks the scrum in a bid to help Canberra to the club's best start since 2005.
Aidan Sezer has been named on the extended bench alongside a raft of the club's young guns in Horsburgh, Simonsson and Jack Murchie.
The fact every member of the club's 21-man squad has played NRL football speaks volumes about Canberra's depth in the eyes of Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson.
"We've got some great young kids. There is probably a handful of them there, five or six, that could easily be playing regular first grade that aren't getting in the side," Hodgson said.
"That's what you need to be a successful club, when you've got someone with an injury like this and you know you've got someone who can come straight into the team and do a good job. You're not crossing your fingers and hoping they do well, you know what they bring to the table.
"If you're going to be a good side, that's what you need. It's not about having 17 throughout the year, you're always going to use the low to mid-20s.
"We've got a good squad and we're going to need them all if we want to be good this year and compete."
NRL ROUND SIX
Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Brisbane Broncos at Canberra Stadium, 5pm. Tickets from Ticketek.
Raiders squad: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker (C), 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Sam Williams, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson (C), 10. Dunamis Lui, 11. John Bateman, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Ryan Sutton. Interchange: 14. Siliva Havili, 15. Hudson Young, 16. Sia Soliola, 17. JJ Collins. Reserves: 18. Aidan Sezer, 19. Corey Horsburgh, 20. Jack Murchie, 21. Bailey Simonsson
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
