Canberra skipper Jarrod Croker insists there is no cause for panic after the Raiders chopped and changed its line-up in a 26-4 trial loss to Newcastle at Seiffert Oval.

They were a new-look team playing at their old stomping ground, but the Raiders used the clash to remove the pre-season rust out of their systems.

The Raiders experimented heavily by rotating 30 players, especially in the second half by playing a host of youngsters and resting their key men.

Hooker candidates Josh McCrone and Glen Buttriss were also given time in the halves as coach Ricky Stuart looks to settle on his best bench utility option.

New Canberra Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker left the ground after just four minutes, clearly groggy after copping a huge hit from opposite number Sione Matu'utia.

But the centre will be fit for round one, adamant he could have gone back on if required and looked unaffected posing with fans after the match.

Canberra leaked five tries, their edge defence again a concern with Newcastle winger Akuila Uate scoring a hat-trick.

But Croker was adamant little should be read into the performance before the NRL season opener against Cronulla in a fortnight.

The positive for Canberra was they escaped with no injuries and their key recruits Josh Hodgson, Sia Soliola, Blake Austin and Sisa Waqa all made their Raiders debuts.

Former Storm winger Waqa left the field with a slight knee injury midway through the second half, but it isn't expected to sideline him for round one.

"Obviously the five tries was a bit disappointing, we'll have a look at it but we had blokes coming off at half-time,  that's what trials are for," Croker said.

"I could have gone back on there in the second half but there wasn't much point.

"It was a little bit scrappy but we've got a bit to work on.

"It makes it hard changing players. I missed the first half but by all reports we dropped a lot of ball, I wouldn't read too much into it."

The 6350-strong fans who fronted for the return to Canberra's original home ground left disappointed after the Knights

exposed Canberra's leaky edges.

The Raiders also conceded far too many penalties, gifting Newcastle a glut of attacking chances through ill discipline.

With Croker put in cotton wool youngster Jeremy Hawkins moved from wing to left centre, and Newcastle took full advantage.

On the positive side Jordan Rapana played on the right wing after Croker left the field, and may have handed Ricky Stuart a selection dilemma after a strong performance.

The 25-year-old looked dangerous every time he touched the ball and did everything possible to win the race with Jeremy Hawkins for a spot in Canberra's round one trip to Cronulla in a fortnight.

After 17 minutes Newcastle opened the scoring through Akuila Uate, who was put into space in the right corner through a Kurt Gidley cut out pass.

Five minutes later the Gidley-Uate combination reaped dividends again when the winger scored his second after another sublime Gidley pass.

Four minutes before the break, Joey Leilua barged over in the left corner after the Raiders conceded a penalty on their line, with Tyrone Roberts' sideline conversion extending Newcastle's lead to 14-0.

Just moments later the Knights extended their lead to 20-0 when hooker Adam Clydsdale scooted over from dummy half after fooling Raiders centre Edrick Lee with a dummy.

And when Uate crossed to secure his hat-trick 15 minutes into the second half, Canberra's return to Seiffert was officially ruined.

Raiders lock Shaun Fensom capped his early return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury with a try after coming on for the final 20 minutes.

Fensom's try was set up by Sam Williams, who edged Mitch Cornish in the halfback stakes when he came on in the second half.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 26 (Akuila Uate 3, Joey Leilua, Adam Clydsdale tries; Tyrone Roberts 3 goals) bt CANBERRA RAIDERS 4 (Shaun Fensom try) at Seiffert Oval on Saturday. Crowd: Approx 6500.