In another incident that has rankled sections of Canberra's playing group, Picker - a Raiders junior and popular member of the team - was told on the eve of the NRL season that the club was unlikely to renew his contract beyond this year.

Picker, who has played 103 NRL games with the Raiders, is understood to be devastated by the news.

There had been speculation the Raiders were under salary cap pressure for the year and were looking to immediately release a player before sacking fullback Josh Dugan last week. Raiders chief executive Don Furner rejected that, claiming the club had started the season operating under the cap.

In a twist, Picker was recalled to the 17-man Raiders squad on the eve of Sunday's match against Gold Coast. Picker and new recruit Jake Foster were put on stand-by late, after Joel Thompson was forced to withdraw because of a shoulder injury and Josh Papalii was in doubt with a medial ligament strain in his knee.

The Raiders had been under salary cap pressure towards the end of last year, but the club offloaded back-rower Bronson Harrison, who will line up for the Dragons against his old teammates at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.

The sacking of Dugan, who was the club's highest-paid player and on at least $550,000-a-year, has given Canberra extra room under this year's cap. The club is on the hunt for another player with NRL experience this season to replace Dugan and ensure more depth in the back line.

The situation with Picker is another drama for the Raiders, who are still dealing with a winless start to the season, the fallout from the Dugan sacking and the suspension of centre Blake Ferguson.

Raiders coach David Furner has left Ferguson out of his team for the second week after the centre was fined $10,000 and suspended for missing training last week and drinking on a Nicholls rooftop with Dugan.

The coach resisted the temptation to recall Ferguson, who scored two tries in the NSW Cup at the weekend, saying his return would be determined by his off-field rehabilitation.

Ferguson, 23 on Wednesday, is on his last chance at the Raiders and is undergoing counselling.

The Raiders have called on club legends Mal Meninga and Laurie Daley to play a mentoring role.

Ferguson's uncle and NRL star-turned boxer Solomon Haumono said he also intended to talk with his nephew.

''We're going to sort things out over the next couple of weeks,'' Haumono said. ''There are some issues there that need discussing but we'll confront them.

''Everyone you speak to has only ever had good things to say about Blake. He's a talented player and he also knows we expect great things of him. We're all here for him. I think it's about direction.

''I believe he'll overcome this, just as he's overcome plenty of things in life. Blake is a good kid, he's a worthwhile person and will do well.''

David Furner and the Raiders are again under pressure after a terrible start to the 2013 season, but Furner responded to critics who have been attacking the club's culture in the past week.

''We've worked hard on it and you've seen the action [we take] if no one wants to buy into that culture, we saw that last week [with the sacking of Dugan],'' he said.

Prop Brett White and hooker Glen Buttriss have been named to return to the Raiders starting team after long-term injuries.

White hasn't played NRL since rupturing his knee in round five last year. Buttriss made a strong return from an ankle injury in the NSW Cup last weekend and will move straight back into the starting NRL team.

SUNDAY

NRL, round 3: Raiders v Dragons, at Canberra Stadium, 6.30pm.

TV time: Live on Fox Sports 1.