Both sides are coming off losses in Round 4 but the Panthers will be feeling considerably more positive about themselves than a Canberra outfit that was well below its best in Newcastle.
The premiers opened the round with an epic 17-16 loss to the Eels in a match that went down to the wire and beyond while the Raiders had a Sunday afternoon to forget as they gave up a 14-8 half-time lead to go down 24-14 to the Knights.
Compounding matters for the Raiders was the sin binning of five-eighth for high contact on Jackson Hastings, with the star No.6 charged on Monday and facing a two-game ban.