The Raiders are breathing a huge sigh of relief with Jordan Rapana free to play in Round 1 after the veteran avoided a ban for his high shot on Adam Doueihi.
Rapana was sent to the sin bin late in the first half when he collected the Wests Tigers five-eighth high as he tried to block a pass to the outside.
Raiders star Jordan Rapana dodges ban as Ricky Stuart avoids fullback crisis
Green Machine in meltdown? Surely not in summer
Unfit, overweight players with little interest. We didn't buy during the off-season and it shows. But hey, at least the jerseys looked slick.
Scroll through social media and you'd think the Canberra Raiders had just shattered a record for the longest losing streak in club history, that club bosses needed to run a bulldozer through the joint and start all over again.
But it's mid-February and I'm tipping Ricky Stuart isn't exactly pulling his hair out.
Raiders or Titans? Fifita nears decision about his NRL future
Gold Coast veteran five-eighth Kieran Foran sounds like a 20-year-old version of himself when he says he wants to play with boom off-contract back-rower David Fifita for years to come.
The 32-year-old Foran had a dream club debut in the 40-16 trial win over the Dolphins on Sunday, having a hand in the first three tries and playing with complete control.
It was back-rower Fifita's powerhouse display that was particularly telling given that in the coming weeks he is expected to decide whether to stay at the Titans long-term or join Canberra, as contract negotiations reach their pointy end.
