Raiders hooker Josh Hodgson has been named to return from the bench against Canterbury on Saturday in Brisbane, just a week after being linked with a move to the Broncos.
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Coach Ricky Stuart has selected the 31-year-old for the first time in three weeks in a bid to snap Canberra's five-match slide, his equal worst single-year losing run since taking over as coach in 2014.
It will mark the first time the Englishman has played since relinquishing the co-captaincy last month, and the first time he has started from the bench when selected in the same 17 as young gun Tom Starling.
Hodgson's inclusion is one of four changes for Stuart this week, who has once more been forced to shuffle his playing cards through injury and poor form.
Ironman Ryan Sutton, arguably Canberra's most consistent player this year, has been forced out with an elbow injury that will cost him two to three weeks on the sideline.
Hudson Young has been named at lock to fill the breach, bouncing back into the starting side after his demotion to the bench in recent times.
Veteran winger Jordan Rapana will miss at least a week with a hamstring strain suffered in Saturday's loss to Newcastle, opening the door for Fijian flyer Semi Valemei to make his first NRL start for the year.
New Zealand international Joe Tapine has been sidelined for at least a fortnight with a medial ligament injury, while co-captain Jarrod Croker remains waylaid for another week with a shoulder complaint.
Ryan James and Dunamis Lui have been promoted to the bench to help cover for Sutton and Tapine, and Saliva Hivili has dropped out of the 17 for the first time this season.
The Raiders head to Brisbane on Friday desperate to reverse their worst run of form in seven years against the bottom-placed Bulldogs.
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Enforcer Josh Papalii, who returned from a week's rest against the Knights last weekend, said Sutton's elbow injury loss was a major blow.
"He's probably one of five blokes that's been performing week in week out," Papalii said.
"I definitely know he's had a sore back the last couple of weeks just performing well. He's going to be a massive loss on field and off field. Whoever's taking that spot, they're massive shoes to fill."
Papalii said securing two points this weekend would go a long way to turning the Raiders' fortunes.
"A win in this industry just mellows a few things out, [it] doesn't put the coaching staff on hammer all the time as well," Papalii said.
"Senior players, our whole club in general can do with a win right now."
Canberra Raiders v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Saturday May 15, 3.00pm, Suncorp Stadium
1. Caleb Aekins 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Sebastian Kris 4. Curtis Scott 5. Semi Valemei 6. Jack Wighton 7. George Williams 8. Josh Papalii 9. Tom Starling 10. Emre Guler 11. Corey Harawira-Naera 12. Elliott Whitehead (c) 13. Hudson Young 14. Josh Hodgson 15. Dunamis Lui 16. Corey Horsburgh 17. Ryan James 18. Sam Williams 19. Matt Timoko 20. Siliva Havili 21. Harry Rushton
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
