Canterbury Bulldogs provide Canberra Raiders audition for John Bateman's understudy

In the mix to help the Canberra Raiders fill John Bateman's big boots the England international's shoulder surgery has vacated.

Bateman's set to miss the first six or seven games of the NRL season.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart will use the Green Machine's trial against the Canterbury Bulldogs at Port Macquarie on Saturday to decide who will slot into the second row alongside Elliott Whitehead.

Horsburgh would rather play in the middle, where he relishes the physicality, but will do whatever's best for the team.

It's a similar story for Tapine, who also wanted to lock down the No.13 jersey this season and continue his partnership with Soliola and Josh Papalii.

Horsburgh sees the trial as the perfect audition to find Bateman's understudy.

"I think I'll get a little bit of game time out there, but there's been a few of us trialling there with John out," he said.

"There'll be a few of us rotating out there. But I love the middle and if I have to play there it's just to do a job for the team.

"Taps, Sia, a couple of young fellas, it's just a bit of trial and error, see who best fits there.

"I'll think we'll see who goes best there [Saturday] and I think that's who'll play there."

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Horsburgh backs whoever gets the nod to do the job to cover for the 2019 NRL second-rower of the year.

"He was the best back rower in the comp last year, so he'll be a massive loss," Horsburgh said.

"But we've got the depth and everyone who steps in knows what they're doing.

"It's only hopefully for a little bit of time, but I'm confident whoever goes there will be able to do the job."

There's been more talk about wiping the wrestle out of the game this week, but Horsburgh's happy the way things are.

He sees it as part and parcel of the physicality in the middle.

South Sydney reportedly put a submission into the NRL to try and eradicate it from the game - as the only club that doesn't have a wrestling coach.

"It's just part of the game. Some teams do it better than others, but that's just part of football now," Horsburgh said.

"Every team will have wrestle coaches, every team will be practicing it and it's just how you do it.

"Personally I like it. I enjoy the physical part of the game so that's probably why I enjoy it.

"It's not a bad thing and I don't think it should be changed at all."

Like most footballers, Horsburgh's itching to finally put a tough pre-season behind him and get into some footy.

Get his "shoulders" warmed up for round one against the Gold Coast Titans at Canberra Stadium on March 13.

"Keen as. It's been a while since I got to play a bit of footy so I'm keen to go and get out there and play a physical game," Horsburgh said.

"Get some contact on the shoulders, that'll be nice.

"A few of the boys are itching to go. It feels like it's been forever.

"It's a long pre-season so it's good to get back out there. It'll be interesting to see how we go [Saturday]."

NRL PRE-SEASON TRIAL

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Canterbury Bulldogs at Port Macquarie, 4.30pm.