The Raiders start their season at home as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2021 while the new-look Sharks are out to spoil the party after also just missing the finals last year.
Canberra are without star recruit Jamal Fogarty and skipper Jarrod Croker while the Sharks are in a similar boat with Cam McInnes and Wade Graham sidelined.
The Friday twilight clash will also be the first in the NRL coaching career of new Sharks mentor Craig Fitzgibbon.
Sportsbet Betting preview: Raiders v Sharks
The rundown
Team news
Raiders: The Raiders are 1-17 with no late changes.
After debuting in round 11 last year against the Storm, Brad Schneider is back for his second NRL game, taking the halfback role in the absence of Jamal Fogarty (knee).
James Schiller debuts in the centres alongside Matt Timoko. Veteran centre Jarrod Croker will return via reserve grade.
Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad has kept Xavier Savage out of the 17 and former Bulldog Adam Elliott makes his club debut from the bench.
In the 24-hour team submission, Matt Frawley replaced Ryan Sutton and Xavier Savage was the one other reserve retained in the squad.
Savage is 18th man and Frawley was cut an hour before kick-off.
Sharks: The Sharks are 1-17 with no late changes. New coach Craig Fitzgibbon will miss the match after testing positive to COVID-19.
Ronaldo Mulitalo starts in the centres with recruit Matt Ikuvalu on the wing and Connor Tracey not in the squad.
Teig Wilton replaces injured skipper Wade Graham in the back row, recruit Dale Finucane captains the side from lock and Andrew Fifita earns a bench spot in his first NRL game since a horror throat injury ended his 2021 season.
Luke Metcalf is the 18th man.
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Key match-up
Josh Hodgson v Blayke Brailey: In two reshuffled playmaking line-ups, the continuity of the respective No.9s will be critical to start the year. Veteran Raider Hodgson is the more accomplished ball-player and is in his last year at the club while Brailey is now something of a leader in the Shire despite being just 23 still.
Stat attack
The Sharks were eighth for try-assists last year with 72 while the Raiders were 12th with 64, highlighting the fact each club needs to brush up on their creative ball-playing if they want to be a force in 2022.