But it's set to stand them in good stead for one that did come out of the coronavirus blue.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart says the new six-again rule for ruck infringements - where the referee can award another set of six rather than a penalty - will test teams' fitness levels after he watched the first game they were in play for between Parramatta and Brisbane on Thursday night.

While everyone is talking about how it will benefit the top hookers, like Canberra's Josh Hodgson, as well as provide more room for dangerous ball runners, like Raiders halves Jack Wighton and George Williams, it could also suit a more mobile forward pack.

Especially if they're forced to defend against repeat sets, like the Broncos were.

The Raiders trimmed their pack down in anticipation of the number of interchanges being reduced from eight to six, but the change never came.

Now that pre-planning could come to the fore for a different reason.

"It comes down to fitness ... it's certainly going to test players in regards to their fatigue levels, what kind of quality contribution they've got under fatigue, because that's a big part of our game," Stuart said on Friday.

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"I think you're seeing a more traditional game of football - players having to play tired. The big fellow at 115-120kg wanting to run at a 85kg half all game is going to have to do it a little bit more tired.

"He's also going to have to cop a half coming at him when he's tired so it evens the affair up a little bit."

If one team struggles under fatigue then the game will open up more in attack.

More room for Hodgson. More room for Wighton. More room for Williams. All three good runners of the football.

Stuart noticed the play-the-balls were quicker in the Eels-Broncos game and players were nervous about trying to slow down the ruck.

It reminded him of the "old days", with more free-flowing attack and second-phase footy.

He praised the way referee Gerard Sutton officiated the game, blowing just seven penalties for the entire game, and hoped that was the benchmark going forward.

Former NRL referee Bill Harrigan felt it would suit the Green Machine.

He was the head referee coach back in 2012 when the NRL trialled the six-again rule in the all-stars game.

Harrigan said it would take about four or five weeks to see whether the new rule would work in the NRL, rather than judge it after just one round.

"Yeah [it will suit the Raiders] because teams that have got a really good hooker and can build that momentum from darting out of dummy half are the teams that are going to love the fast play, and the Raiders have got that," he said.

"Off the back of a quick play-the-ball and they're on their way, they can build that momentum.

"They'll probably enjoy it, but your teams that are more structured and like that little slower play-the-ball and the structure it'll probably hurt them a little bit because they won't be able to lay on them any more and slow them down.

"If they do then they know six again is coming at them and they're in trouble."

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.