Before Saturday's games, the Raiders' best chance of jumping from ninth into the finals would appear to be bridging a two-game gap to seventh-ranked Parramatta, who face Canterbury, Brisbane and Melbourne to close the season.

Should the Eels lose two of those games, the Raiders would need to make up a 59-point margin swing in winning their own three encounters, with Manly and the Wests Tigers to follow.

And there's still some hope they could pass the eighth-ranked Sydney Roosters, although it would require the red-hot side to lose twice in games against the Wests Tigers, Melbourne and South Sydney.

The Rabbitohs would also be vulnerable with losses against North Queensland and the Roosters.

But the Raiders' non-negotiable will be winning their own games, starting with a Newcastle side reeling for an embarrassing week where injured duo Kalyn Ponga and Kurt Mann were caught up in their toilet cubicle drama, while centre Bradman Best and winger Enari Tuala were stood down for being late to a team bus.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart said it could be a classic example of a team under pressure finding an extra gear.

"We don't want to be the club that cops a sting from a club in a little bit of a difficult situation," he told reporters.

"I feel for the club; they're a great club Newcastle and they always have been, some real good people have come out of that club.

"They'd be hurting at this moment ... they'll learn from it and they'll move on but I don't want to be the team that cops a sting.

"We've got to be very professional and diligent ... get into the game and play for 80 minutes at a high standard."

The Raiders will lose bench forward Ryan Sutton for the rest of the season with a hand injury, with surgery to end the Canterbury-bound forward's Canberra tenure.

But they get the huge boost of prop Joe Tapine rejoining the side after overcoming a rib knock suffered in round 21.

The Knights will debut 19-year-old Krystian Mapapalangi in the centres, while Edrick Lee takes Tuala's spot on the wing.

Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien said the team needed to put their 6-15 record aside and begin winning some respect back.

"I'd like to get a performance where we don't have to react to something like this, but there needs to be (a reaction)," he told reporters.

"That's all we can control, our performances as individuals, as staff and as a team on Sunday, the first part of redemption is getting Sunday right."

Australian Associated Press