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NRL: A text from Josh Hodgson reinforced Canberra Raiders hooker Siliva Havili’s self-belief

"He sent me a text when I was on the Gold Coast, saying to just be confident and do the little things right in what I need to do. Hodgo has always got words for me for how to improve and a lot of things I can improve on.

"I just try to back myself with confidence, that was my intention going into the game, just to be confident in myself.

"It's up to Stick the way he plays me, he's the coach of course. But for myself I want to play more minutes and get used to the pace of the NRL.

"The more games I do play I do think I'll get used to it and get that match fitness. That's the goal, just to keep playing as many minutes as I can."

Aidan Sezer will again come off the interchange bench to deputise at hooker, while Sam Williams and Blake Austin steer the ship from the halves.

Knights coach Nathan Brown employs a similar tactic with his healthy playmaking stocks. Mitchell Pearce starts at halfback with Connor Watson playing five-eighth, however Watson shifts to hooker when Brock Lamb is injected into the contest.

Brown also has New Zealand Test hooker Danny Levi up his sleeve, with the 22-year-old spending the opening round in reserve grade.

Havili believes he had more minutes in him before he was taken off for Sezer during the first half of the Titans clash but was rapt with the substitute's performance in the middle.

"I actually thought he did really well defensively, with not having as much ball and being used to defending as a three man," Havili said.

"As a half on the edge, to come inside in the middle and tackle the big boys, he handled himself really well and didn't look out of place, so pretty good.

"A goal for myself was just to be neat and tidy from dummy half, not to overplay my hand and give the chance for the halves to do their stuff.

"For myself it was just being plain and simple."

Havili admits he still can't believe how the Raiders coughed up an 18-point loss and lost to the Gold Coast Titans inside the final minute in round one, with Canberra prop Shannon Boyd adamant complacency isn't the problem.

Boyd was impressive up front and knows he will have to lead the charge again as the Green Machine look to stop a Knights forward pack bouyed by a season opening win.

"They'll be pretty confident and ready to go. We've just got to be ready to match them," Boyd said.

"[Newcastle's forward pack is] not too bad, i think we're a bit bigger than them so hopefully we should overpower them and get on top."

NRL

Sunday: Round two – Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights at Canberra Stadium, 6.30pm. TV: Live on Fox League.

Canberra Raiders squad: 1. Jack Wighton, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker (C), 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Blake Austin, 7. Sam Williams, 8. Sia Soliola, 9. Siliva Havili, 10. Shannon Boyd, 11. Josh Papalii, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Luke Bateman. Interchange from: 14. Aidan Sezer, 15. Junior Paulo, 16. Dunamis Lui, 17. Charlie Gubb, 18. Craig Garvey, 19. Michael Oldfield, 20. Royce Hunt, 21. Jack Murchie

Newcastle Knights squad: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 3. Sione Mata'utia, 4. Tautau Moga, 5. Nathan Ross, 6. Connor Watson, 7. Mitchell Pearce (c), 8. Herman Ese'ese, 9. Slade Griffin, 10. Jacob Lillyman, 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12. Aidan Guerra, 13. Mitchell Barnett. Interchange from: 14. Brock Lamb, 15. Chris Heighington, 16. Jamie Buhrer (c), 17. Daniel Saifiti, 18. Ken Sio, 19. Jacob Saifiti, 20. Daniel Levi, 21. Luke Yates

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Caden Helmers is a sports reporter for The Canberra Times

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