The proof is in the sellout. Plus the fact they're giving tickets away in Sydney.
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Canberra Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker says a packed Canberra Stadium is all the proof NRL boss Todd Greenberg needs to make home preliminary finals a permanent thing in the capital.
While it took just 24 hours to sell out the Raiders' prelim final against South Sydney on Friday night, the NRL have been forced to give away thousands of tickets for the other grand-final qualifier between the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm at the SCG.
The rebuilds of ANZ and Allianz stadiums opened the door for the Raiders to host preliminary finals, with the NRL announcing this year that would be the case until at least 2022.
But beyond that Greenberg's undecided.
It means Canberra fans could again be forced to drive up the Hume Highway to play home prelims in Sydney - despite demand in the ACT far outweighing that in the Harbour City.
Despite Canberra turning completely green with finals fever and tickets selling out within minutes of going on sale to the general public.
"The proof's here, isn't it? We've earned the home semi and look what's happened. It's sold out," Croker said at Thursday's captains' run.
"I think it's a great idea to be able to have home prelims so I don't see why they'd have to change anything now."
The Rabbitohs are $3.10 outsiders, but Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson dismissed the favouritism tag.
"I don't think we are favourites. I think it's our first semi in three years, I wouldn't say we're favourites," he said.
"They've got more experience in semi-finals. Just because we beat Melbourne down in Melbourne I wouldn't say that makes us favourites."
But Hodgson was confident a relatively young Raiders team would cope with the finals pressure cooker.
He said their final rounds of the regular season had helped prepare them for it.
Ten players remain from the team that played in the 2016 preliminary final.
They've also brought in John Bateman, who has won English Super League titles.
But Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Nick Cotric, Bailey Simonsson, Emre Guler and Corey Horsburgh are all playing their first finals campaigns.
"They'll be fine mate. Probably the back end of the season it's something that we touched on leading into the semis that we had a few big games, a few big occasions and some pumped out atmospheres," Hodgson said.
"Shark Park, where they needed to win that one and it was [Paul] Gallen's last game and it was a semi-finals feel and atmosphere.
"Down in Melbourne they've had some big atmospheres and some intense games, I thought that was really good preparation for our young boys."
NRL PRELIMINARY FINAL
Friday: Canberra Raiders v South Sydney at Canberra Stadium, 7.50pm.
Raiders squad: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker (c), 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson (c), 10. Sia Soliola, 11. John Bateman, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Joe Tapine. Interchange: 14. Bailey Simonsson, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Corey Horsburgh, 17. Dunamis Lui. Reserves: 18. Sam Williams, 19. Ryan Sutton, 20. Siliva Havili, 21. Sebastian Kris.
Rabbitohs squad: 1. Adam Doueihi, 2. Alex Johnston, 3. James Roberts, 4. Dane Gagai, 5. Campbell Graham, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. Thomas Burgess, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Liam Knight, 11. John Sutton, 12. Sam Burgess (c), 13. Cameron Murray. Interchange: 14. George Burgess, 15. Junior Tatola, 16. Ethan Lowe, 17. Mark Nicholls. Reserves: 18. Jaydn Su'A, 19. Corey Allan, 20. Dean Britt, 21. Mawene Hiroti.