But in a boost for the under-siege Green Machine, the NRL has approved their application to have the State of Origin series opener counted as the third-and-final game of Josh Papalii's suspension.

It means the Raiders enforcer will be free to face the Brisbane Broncos at Canberra Stadium on Saturday week.

But Canberra will be without fellow middle Ryan James, who has entered an early guilty plea for his contrary conduct charge after dropping a knee on Sydney Roosters hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

It means he'll miss one game - it would've been two if he challenged the charge and lost at the judiciary.

Raiders winger Jordan Rapana also entered an early guilty plea for a careless high tackle on Roosters centre Joseph Manu and was fined $1700.

Horsburgh injured his wrist in the Raiders' 44-16 loss to the Bondi princes and was forced off in the 57^th minute.

The 23-year-old avoided a fracture, but there was some tendon damage and he'll join fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad on the sideline for an extended period.

It's another injury blow for the Queenslander, whose 2020 NRL season ended after just six games due to a foot injury.

Papalii's return will help cover the loss of Horsburgh and James, while Joe Tapine (knee) could also return from injury.

Hudson Young and Siliva Havili could also be in the mix to earn recalls from NSW Cup, while young Englishman Harry Rushton's waiting in the wings.

"He could be 6-7 weeks I think. It's not fractured, but there is some tendon damage," Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said.

"It's a little bit like a syndesmosis where the bone is separated and it actually strains the ligament, so there is some damage there so there is some significant time that he's going to be out."

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Papalii was suspended for a high shot on Canterbury winger Tuipulotu Katoa at the start of the NRL's crackdown on high contact.

It saw him sent off and then suspended for three games as well.

Because the Raiders have the bye leading into the State of Origin series opener they had to apply to the NRL to have Origin I included in his ban.

Given he's played 18 Origins - including the past 12 - for Queensland, it was always going to get approved.

His return will be a massive boost for the Green Machine, who were going through a tough patch - losing seven of their past eight games to slip to 14^th on the NRL ladder, albeit just one win outside of the top eight.

Stuart was glad those struggles hadn't hurt Raiders five-eighth Jack Wighton's chances of NSW Blues selection.

Blues coach Brad Fittler named Wighton as the utility for Origin I, which will be held in Townsville next Wednesday.

Wighton was in the mix to play five-eighth for NSW, but Fittler opted for Penrith No.6 Jarome Luai instead.

"It's great for Jack that he's been seen from his past performances and experience as a NSW player, that they've gone on his form and not our current form as a club," Stuart said.

"The fact he's been selected in the 17 I'm really happy for Jack and he thoroughly deserves to be there."