Premiership-winning coach Stuart has called on supporters to rally around the club and wants to see 15,000 fans at Canberra Stadium for their clash against the Melbourne Storm.

It comes just two days after Raiders fans launched a petition to overturn the NRL's decision to deny Canberra the right to host a preliminary final if they make it that far into the season.

The Raiders have won eight of their 10 homes games this year and have erased the demons of a horror 2015 campaign that delivered just three wins in the capital.

They have rocketed into premiership contention and toppling the Storm will enhance their top four credentials.

But the match against the Storm will be a battle of the best defence (Melbourne) against the best attack (Canberra), and Stuart wants the Raiders' bandwagon to arrive early.

They have averaged 11,166 at Canberra Stadium this season, but that drops dramatically to an average of just 9172 over their last four home games as the Raiders mounted their charge into the top four.

Stuart wants at least an extra 6000 bums on seats when they take on the ladder-leading Storm on Monday.

"I really hope that we can get 15,000 people to this game, we need our fans to come out and help us," he told Fairfax Media on Thursday.

"I kept getting told last year [the low crowds were] because we couldn't win at home, well we've bought into our end of the deal and we want to see 15,000 at our game.

"I can't see why we can't get that and I'd be disappointed if it doesn't happen.

"We need help. We want our fans to come and buy in ... we're playing against the best team in the competition and we need assistance."

The Raiders have scored more points than any other team in the competition, averaging five tries and 27 points per game.

But they're coming up against the stingiest defence, with the Storm letting in less than 12 points every week.

Both teams have strike power out wide, with Fijian flyers Suliasi Vunivalu (17 tries) and Marika Koroibete (12) crossing for 29 tries between them and Raiders captain Jarrod Croker (15) and winger Jordan Rapana (15) combining for one more than that.

"Statistics will mean nothing next week if we don't score more points than the Storm," Stuart said.

"That's our focus. I really don't look and study what's happened. I'm looking towards the next day and then our next game.

"I don't look back on what ifs or what we have done, I don't think that's healthy."

While the Raiders have a young list with a raft of emerging stars, Melbourne has two of the biggest names in the game in captain and hooker Cameron Smith and halfback Cooper Cronk.

Croker said the Storm were the benchmark of the competition and said while the Storm had quality across the park, those two guys in particular were dangerous.

"[Smith is] world class mate, he showed it on the weekend and they're like that week-in, week-out, they're so consistent the Storm," he said.

"But those two guys especially and [Kevin] Proctor, [prop Jesse] Bromwich, [fullback] Cameron Munster is playing some good footy at the back.

"They're a high-quality side and we're going to have to be better than we were last week."

NRL ROUND 23

Monday: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Canberra Stadium, 7pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.