Canberra prop Shannon Boyd is adamant the club's stars can overcome a gruelling schedule of two games in five days, with a host of Raiders expected to be chosen in representative sides.
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A handful of Raiders are likely to be picked in the Country Origin team to play City in Tamworth next Sunday, before Canberra plays St George Illawarra at Jubilee Oval next Thursday night.
The scheduling prompted Raiders coach Ricky Stuart to call on the NRL to allow 12 interchanges for the Dragons clash, labelling the scheduling "ridiculous" and "unfair".
"It's ridiculous that we've got to play Thursday night after a Sunday game, where I've got representative players available and eligible for three or four games," Stuart said on Thursday.
"I want them to push it out to 12 interchanges and I've spoken to the Rugby League Players Association about extending the bench.
"I'd just like a change because it's unfair ourselves and the Dragons have to play four days after a Sunday game."
Boyd was 18th man for Country last year but it is believed new coach Craig Fitzgibbon is likely to hand the 23-year-old his maiden representative jersey.
Paul Vaughan, Jarrod Croker and Jack Wighton are all in contention to retain their Country spots, while in-form centre Joey Leilua may come into calculations for Samoa's Test against Tonga on Saturday night.
Raiders bench hooker Kurt Baptiste will play for Papua New Guinea against Fiji in the double header at Parramatta Stadium.
Canberra five-eighth Blake Austin is set to be overlooked for City due to injury, having picked up a knock to his chest in his return from two weeks out with a hamstring problem against Penrith on Saturday.
Boyd said if chosen for Country on Monday morning, he was confident he could overcome the short turnaround and back up ably for the Raiders.
"As players you just have to move on with it," Boyd said. "You can't worry about what's happening in the future, it's about what's happening now.
"It would be [tough] but it's always a bonus to get those rep honours, and at the end of the day you have to turn around and back it up for your club.
"I just want to concentrate on the boys here at the moment. We have a young team and it will be good to have a couple of days off and then look at St George."
The Raiders enter the bye week in seventh place with four wins, a draw and four losses after their 19-18 defeat to the Panthers at Bathurst.
"There's a couple of games we let slip against Cronulla and Parramatta but the boys are still doing all right; we're hanging in there," Boyd said.
In-form Raiders winger Jordan Rapana was an outside chance of being called up into New Zealand's side to play Australia on Friday but was not selected on Sunday night. However, young Raiders half Lachlan Croker was selected for the Junior Kangaroos.
