Canberra captain Jarrod Croker says fullback Jack Wighton is co-operating with a police investigation and will play a key role in the Raiders' round-five NRL clash.
Canberra confirmed on Tuesday that they are aware of Wighton's alleged involvement in a nightclub incident and have notified the NRL Integrity Unit.
But Croker says the investigation would not be a distraction as the under-fire Raiders look to end their horror start to the season when they host Canterbury on Thursday night.
They already had enough to deal with after slumping to 0-4 for the first time since 1997 with a heavy 32-16 loss to Manly last Saturday night.
Wighton has been one of the Raiders' in-form players and has retained his spot in the side despite the investigation.
Croker said the 25-year-old was coping with added attention.
"Jack's in a good head space and he's right to play tomorrow night ... he's got a little (baby) just about due as well so his head is fine," Croker said on Wednesday.
"Nothing has happened yet, it's (the investigation) out of our hands so until we find out the detail then we can go from there."
But star Josh Papalii is one player who won't get a chance to take on the Bulldogs, with the former Queensland and Australian forward dropped.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart called his players "soft" and said they should be "embarrassed" to wear the jersey following the loss to the Sea Eagles.
It follows on from former Dally M five-eighth of the year Blake Austin being dumped last week.
The axings of Papalii and Austin showed that no one is safe from underperforming, according to Croker.
"It's disappointing it's come to that after four rounds, but we talk about putting the ream first and unfortunately it's Josh this week," Croker said.
"We're all underperforming at 0-4, so there's pressure on every player, every coach and every staff members. It's just the way it is at the moment."
It will be Dean Pay's first match at GIO Stadium as Bulldogs coach after he spent four years as an assistant at the Raiders under Stuart.
While Canberra is winless, things aren't that much better for the Dogs as they sit just one place ahead of the Raiders after letting slip an early lead against South Sydney on Good Friday.
STATS THAT MATTER
- The last time the Raiders went 0-4 in 1997 they recovered to make the preliminary final with Ricky Stuart as captain.
- Cronulla was the last team to make the finals from a 0-4 start in 2015.
- The Bulldogs' Moses Mbye has recorded the most attacking line breaks (five) out of any player in the NRL this season.
