Canberra have recalled playmaker Aidan Sezer as they try to resurrect their NRL fortunes which have plummeted through injuries and State of Origin selections.
The Raiders injury ward has grown by the week but it's Jack Wighton's NSW Blues call-up which sees Sezer return to face Canterbury on Saturday.
Sezer was sidelined in round two with an abdominal injury and then strong form from Wighton and Sam Williams kept him out of the side.
But with seven of their best missing this week Canberra will again need to call on all of Sezer's 139-game experience.
The 27-year-old admits it's been a tough two months but is confident he can slot straight back in.
"It's been very challenging to say the least but I've still been enjoying my footy with the Mounties (reserve grade)," Sezer said.
"It's very simple, we get paid to play football and train so that was my objective. I just had to put my head down and work hard.
"I've been around for a while now; I'm not a young fella anymore so I think I can draw on that experience and hopefully get a good result and play well.
"There's a lot of young boys with minimal first grade experience this week so we'll have to draw on all the experience we have in the squad.
"The boys have lost three in a row now so if we're coming out with a slow start again we have to have a very hard look at ourselves.
"This week will show us what we're really made of, the underbelly of the side."
Skipper Jarrod Croker backed the squad's depth to deliver against the Bulldogs.
"We've spoken all season about the depth we've got here and how good the young players are and there's no time like now to call upon them," he said.
"We've seen in the last couple of years our depth has been tested with only a couple of injuries but now we've got seven or eight out and can still field a side that still looks quite strong on paper."
