It's Canberra against the world. Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has issued a call to arms as his team continues to prove the doubters wrong.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Now the Green Machine has been rewarded with the ACT government boosting Canberra Stadium's capacity to 9600 for their elimination final against the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday.
It will be the biggest crowd allowed at a Raiders home game since their round-one clash against the Gold Coast Titans when 10,610 fans came through the gates.
The increased capacity - up from the previous limit of 6000 - has been calculated at 50 per cent of available seating, with some sections of the grandstands not in use due to coronavirus protocols.
Canberra have been proving the doubters wrong all year overcoming the toughest travel schedule of any club in the NRL since the restart after the COVID-19 lockdown.
They were written off when star hooker Josh Hodgson (knee) was ruled out for the rest of the season.
Written off again as their injury toll continued to mount.
They were even written off ahead of their 38-28 victory over the Sharks at Kogarah on Saturday after Stuart rested nine first-grade regulars for the final round.
But those players, which included co-captain Jarrod Croker, star prop Josh Papalii and Clive Churchill medallist Jack Wighton, are all set to return for the do-or-die final.
Stuart's refreshed team will now turn their attention to becoming the first to win the premiership from outside the top four since the Bulldogs did it in 1995.
The fifth-placed Raiders go into the play-offs with nine wins from their past 11 games.
"Whatever happens happens over the games we've got [left]," Stuart said.
"I couldn't be more proud of this squad of players of where we've ended up in the competition.
"I get it. We got wrote off a lot. We got wrote off for [the Sharks] game. I got criticised for playing these players.
"We love that in Canberra - getting wrote off, getting bagged and pushed around. It's what makes us tough down there.
"As soon as we started to get written off this week about this game that just made me more confident. These players were stirred up over it."
MORE RAIDERS NEWS
Stuart was looking forward to the prospect of a bigger crowd.
Raiders fans have traditionally packed out Canberra Stadium come finals time - they've averaged 24,917 there over the past decade.
While it's set to be less than half of that, Stuart said they were going to need the support as they look to go deep into the finals.
"It's good we get a little bit more of an increase in the crowd," he said.
"When we've been playing in front of none, then 1500 to 3000 you really notice the noise they make and 9000 this week will be great.
"We're fortunate with our supporters. We need them."
NRL ELIMINATION FINAL
Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks, 5.40pm.