'Little sparks': The most inexperienced duo in NRL given keys to the Raiders

Kaeo Weekes and Ethan Strange share just 20 games between them, but they will be given the keys to the Green Machine for the bulk of the season after Jamal Fogarty had surgery this week.

Add in rookie fullback Chevy Stewart, who will be playing just his third game on Sunday, and the Raiders have the greenest spine in the competition.

But the Raiders say Weekes and Strange have slotted straight into the role, barking instructions at their much-more experienced forward pack and cracking the whip on skipper Joe Tapine and 289-game prop Josh Papalii.

"[Weekes] has been really good at training and showing his little sparks," said front-rower Pasami Saulo.

"It's an important role and they've been handling it really well as they do every week at training and in games. I know they're good. We always listen, too."

Fogarty will miss the next three months after rupturing his biceps. "Surgery was a success. Appreciate all the kind messages everyone has sent over the last few days," Fogarty said. "It doesn't go unnoticed."

You only need to glance at the Raiders side to know the club is facing a transition phase after losing experience and replacing it with youth this season.

The injury-forced absence of Fogarty (biceps), Elliott Whitehead (hamstring), Jordan Rapana (knee), Corey Horsburgh (groin) and Zac Hosking (shoulder) has tipped the scales to youth.

It bit the Raiders last week as the Broncos, last year's grand finalists, targeted Canberra's inexperience and dominated the contest in Brisbane.

But coach Ricky Stuart has put faith in the younger players to back themselves and make amends for errors as they take their first steps in a brutal NRL initiation.

Fullback Stewart is the perfect example of that. The Sharks are expected to heap more pressure on to the teenager after a tough outing against the Broncos, but Stuart had no hesitation sticking with him this week.

The Raiders' experience lies in the forward pack, with Tapine and Papalii leading the way with support from Hudson Young and Danny Levi.

Outside of that quartet there's Simi Sasagi (18 games), who starts in the back row this week, Morgan Smithies and Trey Mooney (seven games each) and Ata Mariota (23 games).

"Ricky has our backs," Mariota said. "We're young and still learning, so it's good to have a coach like that."

"Everyone has to play their role in knowing that the team is always changing every week, knowing that we can trust each other."

Saulo, with 56 games to his name, is considered one of the older heads in the forwards rotation despite effectively only having two full seasons of games under his belt.

He said the Raiders were stung by the Sharks when the teams met earlier this year, which prompted Stuart to rip into his players and demand a response the following week.

And while the circumstances are different, the chance to knock off the top-placed Sharks provides the team an opportunity to silence doubters despite their growing injury toll.

"We might have two young halves, but they're really good players. That's what we've got throughout our whole squad, really," Saulo said.

"Everyone who comes up is always ready to take a spot regardless of who's down. All the confidence in the boys."

NRL ROUND EIGHT

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.

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

Sharks squad: 1. William Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Jesse Ramien, 4. Kayal Iro, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Daniel Atkinson, 7. Nicho Hynes, 8. Thomas Hazelton, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Oregon Kaufusi, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Teig Wilton, 13. Cameron McInnes. Interchange: 14. Jack Williams, 15. Siosifa Talakai, 16. Toby Rudolf, 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele. Reserves: 18. Mawene Hiroti, 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha, 20. Samuel Stonestreet, 21. Royce Hunt, 22. Kade Dykes.