The Raiders have born the brunt of the crackdown and look set to have three stars suspended following Magic Round's sin-bin frenzy.

They had Josh Papalii sent off and Jack Wighton sin-binned in their gutsy 20-18 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs at Lang Park on Saturday.

Now Papalii's facing a potential three-game ban, while Wighton and Josh Hodgson could be out for one week as well.

Starling likened NRL players to modern-day warriors and the contact was one of the key attractions to the game.

"I don't know mate. I think they're playing a dangerous game here. It's a contact sport," he said.

"We don't want to go away from that. That's what makes it the spectacle it is. We're modern-day warriors going at it on the footy field.

"That's why people love it. They love the big hits. Obviously we've got to keep players' safety at the forefront and we want our best players on the field.

"We lost big Papa and Jacko there for an extended period of the game. This is what the fans are paying to come and see, see the top athletes going at it.

"It's a fine line between taking it a bit too far ... let the boys play."

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Despite all of the focus being on the NRL's crackdown, Starling felt it was a big win for the Green Machine.

He said they'd gotten the monkey off their back - ending a five-game losing streak and putting their second-half struggles behind them - and they were looking to build some momentum when they take on the Melbourne Storm at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.

Starling said they always had the belief they could overcome playing the final quarter a man short - and some of it two men down - they just needed to stick together and not go into their shell.

Now the dummy half was looking forward to the chance to take on a "flying" Melbourne Storm.

He was emphatic when asked whether being able to produce a short-handed win after going behind to the Bulldogs could kick start their campaign.

"One hundred per cent. Sometimes playing footy you get stuck in a rut of losing games and the good teams fight their way back out of that slump," Starling said.

"It just shows what's under the jersey here. We just keep turning up for each other.

"We haven't got the results the last few weeks, but the effort and everything's been there. We've got the monkey off the back now so here come the Green Machine."

Hodgson played a crucial role for the Raiders in the win, coming off the bench in the second half.

He played mostly as a ball-playing loose forward, with Starling only spending two minutes resting on the bench.

While it was highly effective, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart might have to wait before he can use it again with Hodgson potentially suspended for the Storm game for a chicken-wing tackle on fellow Englishman Luke Thompson.

It was Hodgson's first game back after missing three week's due to a calf injury.

Starling said the pair were willing to do whatever was best for the team.

"Hodgo's a world-class player. It's good to be able to play alongside him. I enjoy it," he said.

"We're pretty similar out on the field - we're both talking, bouncing off each other. He'll pick his time to go and then I'll pick my time to go - we sort of feed off each other.

"We needed him out there in that crucial period of the game. It was awesome. We really needed his leadership.

"It was a massive effort by Hodgo coming off three weeks out, bringing that energy that he brings each week."

NRL ROUND 11

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