Maroons coach Kevin Walters backs Ricky Stuart to turn the stumbling Green Machine around. Credit:AAP You have to go back to 1982, the Raiders' debut season, to find the last time they lost the opening five rounds - it came as part of a seven-game losing streak to begin their existence. The Raiders face a short turnaround against fellow strugglers Canterbury at Canberra Stadium on Thursday night. They'll be licking their wounds after what was more than just a tongue lashing from their coach, but a flogging at the hands of a rampant Sea Eagles. The Trbojevic brothers both had field days, while Manly's starting props, Martin Taupau and Addin Fonua-Blake, charged for more than 300 metres combined - more than three times what the Raiders starting front-rowers managed.

Walters said having the first game of the round was a blessing for the smarting Green Machine because they don't have too long to wait to before their shot at redemption. He expected the playing group to respond after Stuart labelled them "soft" and backed his former teammate to get Canberra back on track. "He's got a lot of respect down there Ricky with what he's done with that team and a couple of losses isn't going to make people change their minds in any way of what sort of coach that Ricky is," Walters said. "At the moment they're in a bit of a sandpit where they're doing everything they can to get out, but they just can't seem to get out. "Once the Raiders find one win they can find two or three, they're that kind of side with the quality that they've got."

Brad Fittler, who played under Stuart at the Sydney Roosters, put the loss down to the Raiders' middle. Manly worked them from side to side and were able to find holes not only on the edges, but straight up the guts as well. They were completely overpowered, with Josh Papalii (125m) and Junior Paulo (111m) the only Raiders forwards able to break the century. "They just capitulated. And it was all through the middle. When you're getting busted down the middle, that hits you in the ego," Fittler said on Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show. "That's where everyone wants to be strong. You want to own the middle because if you don't own that you're just out of the game. They were just terrible."

Manly lock Jake Trbojevic expected the Raiders to respond having been branded with the dreaded "S" word. Trbojevic ran for 104m, made 34 tackles, scored a try and played a role in his brother Tom's four-pointer as well in a night out for the "Turbo" family. The Raiders pack will be up against Bulldogs props Aaron Woods and David Klemmer, along with Aiden Tolman and captain Josh Jackson. "If your coach says you're soft it definitely would sting you a little bit," Trbojevic said. "I don't think they're soft. They're a big team, they run hard and there were times there where they were on top.

"I think if your coach says you're soft it would be disappointing as a player. I reckon they'll respond to it, you know. "They'll work hard during the week, come out fired up next week." Loading NRL ROUND FIVE Thursday: Canberra Raiders v Canterbury Bulldogs at Canberra Stadium, 7.50pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.