Raiders name squad to take on
Cowboys

Canberra Raiders coach Matt Elliott has put all but one of his available players on call for this Saturday?s match against the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville.

With just 20 players fit and available to pick from, Elliott today named a 19-man squad to prepare for this weekend?s must-win match.

Forwards Jason Croker (hamstring), Michael Hodgson (knee) and Andrew Lomu (knee) return to the squad from injuries - Croker and Lomu have been given until the end of the week to prove their fitness.

In other major changes, Marshall Chalk will start in place of injured winger David Howell (ankle), while Ben Cross takes over at prop from Josh Miller (shoulder).

?There?s not a great deal of quantity, but I?m pretty happy with the quality of player we?ve got back in calculations,? Elliott said. ?With Jason Croker, Andrew Lomu and Michael Hodgson, we?ve got a fair bit of experience coming back in.

?We?ve obviously got a lot of injuries and that?s a difficult thing to deal with in the short-term. But it gives us the opportunity to provide younger players like Todd Carney with some extended NRL experience, which will be a bonus in the long run.?

The Raiders are four points outside the top-eight, but Elliott said his team would continue to fight hard.

?I don?t have it in my character to give up on anything until it?s right out of calculations, but it?s going to be right out of calculations if we don?t start winning this weekend.?

CANBERRA RAIDERS v NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS Saturday, August 20, 7.30pm Dairy Farmers Stadium

1. CLINTON SCHIFCOFSKE 2. MARSHALL CHALK 3. PHIL GRAHAM 4. ADAM MOGG 5. MATT GAFA 6. JASON SMITH 7. TODD CARNEY 8. BEN CROSS 9. LINCOLN WITHERS 10. TROY THOMPSON 11. KRIS KAHLER 12. IAN HINDMARSH 13. JASON CROKER

INTERCHANGE

14. ALAN TONGUE 15. MICHAEL HODGSON 16. ALAN ROTHERY 17. JASON WILLIAMS 18. JERMAINE ALE 19. ANDREW LOMU