Newcastle Knights star Kalyn Ponga is set to shake off a painful sternum injury in time for Saturday's crunch clash with the Raiders, while star centre Bradman Best will return from a syndesmosis.
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But it's not all rosy for the Knights, with veteran playmaker Mitchell Pearce facing another week on the sideline.
Pearce has been named on an extended bench as he continues to recover from a minor hamstring strain which has already cost him two matches, with Jake Clifford set to partner Phoenix Crossland in the halves for the Lang Park clash which will have a major bearing on the final make up of the NRL top eight.
Canberra also hopes to welcome back two of its biggest names with NSW half Jack Wighton and co-captain Elliott Whitehead set for fitness tests on Wednesday.
Wighton copped a painful rib injury in the win over Cronulla two rounds back, while recently re-signed Englishman Whitehead has missed three matches with a damaged shoulder suffered against Gold Coast in Canberra's last showing at home.
Deputy Matthew Frawley remains on standby to partner Sam Williams in the halves should Wighton fail to overcome his rib injury in time.
If Whitehead passes his fitness test, he'll slot back into the second row and Hudson Young will shift to lock in place of Ryan Sutton, who will miss Saturday's match with a chest injury.
Bailey Simonsson (toe) has been named on an extended bench having returned to full squad training this week, but is not expected to face Newcastle with Canberra junior Harley Smith-Shields set to play his second match this season.
Prop Dunamis Lui is also back training with the squad after shaking a calf injury, and has been named on the extended bench with in-form prop Emre Guler to partner Josh Papalii up front again.
Coach Ricky Stuart has the luxury of not needing to rush either player back into the side, given the recent efforts of Smith-Shields and Guler.
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"We've got so many good young kids here and Harley's just one of them and he's a local junior too," co-captain Jarrod Croker said.
"It's great to see another local boy come through and play with that green jersey, it's something that he's been trying to do all his childhood.
'For him to live out that dream and have a win on the weekend, it was good to see."
Newcastle's two biggest names have endured frustrating seasons, playing just once together since round four. Ponga played 80 minutes in Newcastle's loss to the Roosters last weekend, but was visibly troubled by a sternum injury while Pearce hasn't featured since helping orchestrate a 38-0 win over the Cowboys in round 16.
He suffered a hamstring strain in the lead up to his side's clash against Melbourne in round 18.
SATURDAY: Newcastle Knights v Canberra Raiders, Lang Park, 5.30pm
Canberra Raiders: 1. Jordan Rapana 2. Harley Smith-Shields 3. Jarrod Croker (c) 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Semi Valemei 6. Jack Wighton 7. Sam Williams 8. Josh Papalii 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Emre Guler 11. Corey Harawira-Naera 12. Elliott Whitehead (c) 13. Hudson Young 14. Tom Starling 15. Matt Timoko 16. Sia Soliola 17. Joseph Tapine
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.
