Shock drop for Tigers clash as Raider returns and 'rejects' shine

Cotric was left out of the Raiders' starting side on Tuesday, with Kris returning to the centres and Albert Hopoate shifting to the wing for the round-two clash against the Wests Tigers on Saturday.

It continues a frustrating period for Cotric, who started his career in blistering fashion to emerge as as NSW State of Origin and Australian bolter before an ill-fated switch to the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Since joining the Bulldogs, and then returning to the Raiders a year later, Cotric has scored 13 tries and played just 39 of a possible 73 games.

The off-contract try-scorer has shifted around the back line and even had a stint as a bench replacement last year. The return of Xavier Savage this season and the improvement of Hopoate, Kris and Matt Timoko has put Cotric in a battle to get game time.

Kris is back in the line-up after missing round one because of a controversial decision to deny his request to use the All Stars game as one match of his five-game suspension for a dangerous tackle at the end of last year.

He is the only change to the Raiders side which beat Newcastle in round one, with Joe Tapine to keep the captaincy job in Elliott Whitehead's absence.

The Raiders have the wind in their sails coming off an impressive 28-12 victory over the Knights, and the strong contingent of former Newcastle-based players have proven to be a formidable force together in green.

New Raider Zac Hosking, Hudson Young, Tom Starling, Pasami Saulo, Danny Levi, and Tapine all either grew up in the Newcastle region, played for the Knights, or both, and all had big roles in Canberra's emphatic opening-round win.

"We just say we're the Newcastle rejects," Levi joked on Tuesday.

"Some of us had no choice but to leave, and for a couple it was for more money.

"We like to talk about it and have a joke, but being here it's good."

The hooker was upbeat about the entire team's "grinding" efforts, from the starting and bench forwards, to the new halves combination of 19-year-old Ethan Strange and veteran No.7 Fogarty, and the Raiders don't aim to take a backwards step in front of their home fans.

Last week prop Emre Guler helped set up a last-tackle try finished by Young, and he believes Canberra's attack should only continue to improve after their tough pre-season.

"If you compare that opening game to round one last year, I think the boys - especially physically - feel good, and our combinations are looking good too, so we're pretty confident," Guler said.

"It was a bit different this year - we didn't know how it would go with a few players in different positions, but we put our best foot forward and went full guns blazing straightaway."

Guler and Young both escaped suspension for grade one dangerous contact charges, but the former admitted he was sweating bullets before the NRL match review committee slapped a fine on him.

"I really was [nervous] for second there," Guler said.

"I thought I might be gone because they've been cracking down on the leg lifts. But once I heard that [I was fined] I was pretty relieved."

Wests Tigers present an intriguing challenge for Canberra, as the visitors arrive in the capital with plenty of mystery surrounding them.

After a round one bye, their match against the Raiders will be the NRL coaching debut for club legend Benji Marshall, and the team will be hungry to get off to a winning start to their season after claiming back-to-back wooden spoons.

The Raiders beat Wests in both of their previous meetings last season, and have a superior head-to-head record (23-19).

On Tuesday, the Tigers named former Raider John Bateman to start with Aidan Sezer on the bench.

For Green Machine faithful keen to get a glimpse of the next generation of Raiders NRL stars and make the most out of the day at Canberra Stadium, the Jersey Flegg side will play at 11am, and the NSW Cup clash kicks off at 12.40pm before the main event.

Perhaps nothing sums up Canberra coach Ricky Stuart's motivational philosophy better than a sign sticky-taped to a change room locker simply reading "f--- 'em".

Emphasising a perceived lack of belief from NRL pundits, the Raiders would use that to fuel a stirring win against Newcastle that made a mockery of predictions they'd tumble down the ladder.

Hooker Danny Levi wouldn't divulge who 'they' specifically were, but acknowledged the upset, 'nobody believes in us' win was trademark Stuart.

"There's been plenty said about us, but we've said before we don't worry about that, we know what we can do and we're confident in ourselves," he said.

"Backs against the wall and people saying what they want to say about us, but we know what we can do."

- with AAP

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers, Canberra Stadium, 3pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Jordan Rapana, 2. Albert Hopoate, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Xavier Savage, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papali'i, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Joe Tapine (c), 11. Hudson Young, 12. Zac Hosking, 13. Morgan Smithies. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Ata Mariota, 17. Pasami Saulo, Reserves: 18. Nick Cotric, 19. Kaeo Weekes, 20. Simi Sasagi, 21. Zac Woolford, 22. Trey Mooney.