And Raiders halfback Aidan Sezer says they can't afford to rest players this weekend, even though they're playing the last-placed Newcastle Knights.

The Raiders are expecting both hookers, Josh Hodgson and Kurt Baptiste, to be fit to face the Knights after head knocks against the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday.

Fullback Jack Wighton (sternum) and Sia Soliola (shoulder and ribs) will be given until the last minute to prove their fitness.

NSW Blues hitman Greg Bird was sin-binned in the Raiders' 30-22 victory over the Titans after clashes with Boyd and Joseph Tapine.

Boyd and Bird then exchanged words on the bench, with Raiders coach Ricky Stuart also joining in on the verbals.

Stuart praised Boyd and Tapine for the way they responded to the incidents.

Boyd said it showed that even though they are a young side, they weren't going to be pushed around.

"[Bird] just said, 'Come back out' and I said, 'Yeah, bloody oath, let's go', just a bit of a gee-up," he said.

"He was all right after the game, he came up and we had a bit of a laugh and a giggle, you know what it's like when you're playing footy, you get a bit fired up sometimes.

"It's good to see that when young fellas like Joe Tapine got fired up it sort of got all the boys fired up and I think our defence picked up off it, too.

"You look at the teams like Cronulla with [Paul] Gallen and even Bird on the weekend, they're always pretty fiery and aggressive players, and they lead from the front.

"I think we need more of that from our young fellas here, like myself and [Paul Vaughan].

"We need to make sure we're not the ones backing down to the senior players of other teams."

While Canberra conceded two late tries against the Titans, the 23-year-old felt it wasn't due to a fade-out and they were getting closer to producing a full 80-minute performance.

It's been something they've struggled with at times this season, with Stuart especially critical of the way they allowed Manly back into the game in round 13.

They also let slip a 16-0 lead when they drew with the Knights in round three.

"We got a bit of a lead on [the Knights] and then took the foot off the throat and they came back at us," Boyd said.

"We can't go doing that. They're still not a bad side, they've got some good forwards so if we don't start off well it will be a tough day.

"I think the Titans was a bit different compared to other games; we got a bit fired up and things went a bit wayward there.

"In terms of an 80-minute performance I thought we were pretty good on the weekend, probably a bit of a lapse for a bit but nothing major.

"In other games that's what we've been talking about, just making sure we play 80 minutes of footy instead of 50 or 60."

Soliola and Wighton will be given until the last minute to prove their fitness, with both named in the XVII to play the Knights.

Given Newcastle has only won one game this season Stuart could be tempted to rest any players carrying a knock or two, but Sezer warned against that approach.

"I don't think we're in a position to rest any players; we want to win as many games as we can and we'll be doing that this weekend," he said.

NRL ROUND 17

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights at Canberra Stadium, 2pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.