As Elliott Whitehead prepares to walk back through Canberra's revolving door of forwards, he says the NRL club's depth made him doubt whether he would be an automatic selection.
Whitehead's utility value has made him a valuable part of coach Ricky Stuart's set-up, having deputised in the centres while Jarrod Croker was injured as well as a stint at five-eighth last season.
After two games back at his second-row home, Whitehead was absent from last week's 30-18 win over Parramatta due to suspension.
"It weren't nice out there in the stands," Whitehead said in his thick Yorkshire accent.
He said the team's performance with Sia Soliola in the second row meant he was no certainty to gain a start in Saturday's match against Gold Coast at Cbus Super Stadium.
"To get put back in the squad I really need to play well this week to keep that position," Whitehead said.
"We've got great depth in this squad.
"Whoever comes in will do a great job as we saw with Sia last week (when) he filled in for me last week."
Whitehead's return means Soliola moves to lock and Clay Priest drops to the interchange bench.
The Raiders have maintained the same starting pack just once this season, with a combination of injury, suspension and rotation ensuring their forward set-up is anything but predictable.
Prop Junior Paulo admits the lack of continuity is not ideal, but sees it as a test which most clubs endure.
"That's part of footy I guess, things are going to chop and change," he said.
"We've just got to be able to adapt to all the changes and go along with it."
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