"We got a pup at the start of COVID-19, so I've been calling him around the backyard like it's a race," laughs veteran NRL caller Phil Small. "I probably call in my own head whenever I see any play. As soon as lockdown began I watched the 1989 grand final and I haven't really watched any more.

"I thought: 'I've watched the best game of footy, why do I need to watch any more until the real thing comes back'."

And the real thing is back. The NRL started in Brisbane on Thursday night, and Small and the Canberra Mix 106.3 Raiders team will be back in action on Saturday.

They'll be calling the games from a studio rather than pubs or clubs around the capital, or the grandstand at Canberra Stadium.

But the chance to watch live sport and relay the games to fans makes up for the two-month coronavirus delay between games and the empty stands at venues.

"When they first said they were looking at a return date of May 28 I was think, 'Gee, this is wishful thinking'. Now we're here ... it's crazy," said "Raider Nick" Nick Risteski.

"As Raiders men, this is our year. We can go one better than last year ... we're licking our lips. It's going to be exciting to see the Green Machine running around again."

Small, Risteski, Chris Coleman and Adam Jansen will return to the airwaves this weekend, granted an extra-long pre-game timeslot to cover all the build up to the Raiders' clash against the Melbourne Storm.

The Raiders will be chasing three straight wins to start a season for the first time since 2005 and three consecutive wins against the Storm for the first time in the club's history.

The Green Machine bandwagon rolled all the way to the grand final last year, the first time the club had been in premiership contention since 1994. Fans packed the Hume Highway on grand final day to send a wave of lime-green support to Sydney.

This time they'll be watching from their lounge rooms. Or, Risteski says, their garages. "A lot of people in Canberra don't have Foxtel. Canberra's big on the garage lifestyle ... a few beers cleaning out the [carburetor] with a few of the boys and they put us on the radio," Risteski said.

"Having no crowds bring a different element to the game. It's a unique experience. We'll give extra layers of colour to communicate what's going on.

"The Raiders are almost a religion for people and for us it's an easy sell because we're diehard Raiders fans."

Jansen added: "I can't wait for it to kick off. Not just for the Raiders, for the football in general. I'm that excited."

MORE CANBERRA SPORT

More than 26,000 fans packed into Canberra Stadium for a preliminary final last year. They won't get a chance to do that again until at least round 11, with the NRL scheduling Canberra "home" games in Campbelltown to suit broadcasters and coronavirus protocols.

Small, who has been commentating rugby league for 25 years, said: "Once we're back into it, it will build and reboot. The fans will get right behind it. When they get back to the ground, that's when it will escalate."

NRL ROUND THREE

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Melbourne, 7.35pm.

Raiders team: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Bailey Simonsson, 3. Jarrod Croker, 4. Curtis Scott, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. George Williams, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Dunamis Lui, 11. Joe Tapine, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Corey Horsburgh. Interchange from: 14. Siliva Havili, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Sia Soliola, 17. Michael Oldfield, 18. Jordan Rapana, 19. Matt Frawley, 20. Kai O'Donnell, 21. Tom Starling.

Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen, 2. Suliasi Vunivalu, 3. Justin Olam, 4. Marion Seve, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Kenneath Bromwich, 13. Dale Finucane. Interchange from: 14. Brandon Smith, 15. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, 16. Christian Welch, 17. Max King, 18. Tom Eisenhuth, 19. Brenko Lee, 20. Ryley Jacks, 21. Darryn Schonig.