The resurgent Raiders are hoping to upset their new Gold Coast neighbours when they take on competition heavyweights Parramatta at Cbus Super Stadium on Thursday night.
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Canberra and Parramatta have been lumped in next door to each other in the Carrara branch of the NRL's south-east Queensland hub, meaning players and staff bump into each other regularly at meal times and en route to training.
"We've got five teams here and you see each team every day, whether you're going into recovery at the pool, whether you're going to the gymnasium, whether you're getting on or off a bus you bump into each other," Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said.
"As uncomfortable as it may be now and then with players bumping into each other, it is what it is.
"It's been very professional to be honest. It's a very, very good environment in regards to what the NRL have set up. They've done an extremely good job in housing us and accommodating our programs to get the best preparation in for a game of football.
"I couldn't be more complimentary towards the NRL in a short-term solution to house all teams."
Canberra and Parramatta have quickly taken to their new surroundings, with both sides recording strong wins last round.
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And while Parramatta are hot favourites to end the Raiders' two-match winning run on Thursday, Stuart's charges are back in the punters' crosshairs.
Their premiership odds have been slashed to $41 with TAB over the last two weeks, and the Green Machine is more popular with punters than Parramatta ($10) to win the NRL title.
It's a far cry from two weeks ago when the Raiders were beaten by 38 points at home to the Gold Coast and looked likely to finish in the bottom four.
A win over the high-flying Eels, who are without star half Mitchell Moses due to a back injury, could be enough for the Raiders to jump into the NRL top eight by the end of this round.
"They're in good form, they've got a number of good players, they've got a young halfback [Jake Arthur] now going to fill the role of Mitchell Moses, but he's got a lot of experience and power around him," Stuart said.
"If you're a young halfback coming into a game that's what you like to have.
"I'm looking for us to be dangerous. We've got to control us. We've had a very short turnaround, Parramatta aren't much more I think they were the day before, both teams have had short preps.
"We work very well when we know what we need to do, our role as a team, as an individual. We work really well when we're looking after our shift.
"The last couple of weeks we've seen a team with a lot of energy, combinations are working. I think you've seen a team over the last two weeks where every individual has bought in and contributed personally, it's a huge difference to a team result."
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.
