A combination of COVID-19 protocols and injuries has opened the door for him and he has every intention of keeping it open.

At the start of the year, Mitchell was expecting to play for the Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra Raiders Cup.

But he's found himself as the Raiders' starting hooker in the NSW Cup with the chance to establish himself in reserve grade.

Lime green's not unfamiliar to the 29-year-old - although it had been nine years since he last wore it - having came up through the Raiders' junior grades.

Now a hamstring injury for young Raiders rake Adrian Trevilyan has him wearing the No.9 jersey in the reserves.

Trevilyan's not the only dummy half casualty at Canberra - Josh Hodgson's been ruled out for the season with a knee injury as well, leaving Tom Starling and Matt Frawley to perform the hooking duties at NRL level.

The Green Machine have been hit hard by injuries throughout the grades forcing them to bolster their ranks - with Mitchell one of the beneficiaries.

In his absence, Charlie Woolford - the son of ex-Raider Simon Woolford - will play hooker for the Blues against Tuggeranong on Saturday.

"I was lucky enough to get a call and get a runaround with the boys," Mitchell said.

"I'm on a part-time contract with the NSW Cup side. Got a run last week and been named to start again this week against Mounties [at Wagga Wagga].

"While the opportunity's there I'll take it with both hands and just try and play the best footy I can play and hopefully establish myself in that grade."

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It all makes for a hectic time for the Blues hooker.

He's had to up his training to be part of the NSW Cup squad - plus there's the extra travel up and back to Sydney for away games - while also juggling his full-time job as a project manager for construction company DJ Custom Building.

Oh, and he's got a newborn to help look after as well.

"I've got a full-time job. That's another tricky thing trying to juggle work - and I just had a newborn as well," Mitchell said.

"It's all sort of come at once. In a couple of weeks I should be able to get it all sorted."

Establishing himself with the Raiders Cup side's the goal, but Mitchell also planned to help out the Blues where he can.

Blues coach and former Raiders captain Terry Campese gave him his blessing to have a crack at the higher level.

Mitchell was surprised how quickly his chance came about - he expected to play a few games for the Blues in the Canberra Raiders Cup first.

But Trevilyan's injury led to his Raiders reserves debut last weekend - when Queanbeyan's season kicked off - against the Blacktown Sea Eagles.

NRL teams have to take squads of 24 with them to their games.

It can make for a logistical nightmare trying to get up to unused reserves to a NSW Cup game that's not always at the same venue - or even in the same city.

"[Campese] just said, 'Well done, you deserve to get a run around there'," Mitchell said.

"It all came around earlier than expected. I thought I'd be playing a few local games first and when they put me in the team last week I was a bit shocked to be honest."

While it might have been a long time between drinks, Mitchell was still familiar with the jersey he was playing in.

"I played 16s, 18s and 20s at Raiders," he said.

"Very familiar [with lime green]. Played pretty much two years of each grade ... then my last year I just got injured and went no further than that."

CANBERRA RAIDERS CUP ROUND TWO

Saturday: Yass Magpies v Woden Valley Rams at Yass; Queanbeyan Blues v Tuggeranong Bushrangers at Seiffert Oval; Goulburn City Bulldogs v Gungahlin Bulls at Goulburn; Belconnen United Sharks v Queanbeyan Kangaroos at Bruce. All games at 3pm.

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