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Canterbury captain Josh Jackson says they have identified crafty Canberra second-rower John Bateman as a player they need to stop to cause an NRL upset.

Canterbury are on high alert for Canberra game-breaker John Bateman as they look for a breakthrough win in the NRL on Sunday.

While the Bulldogs have won just once on the road in a miserable season, they have at least been competitive of late, with five of their past six matches decided by six points or less.

Skipper Josh Jackson said they were up for the huge task of stopping the Raiders, who have top four aspirations.

"They're obviously a really strong team who were in a grand final last year and have some really great players in their squad," the back-rower said.

"But it's a challenge we really want to get up for.

"We've been close over the last six weeks and only just lost a few games so we're really desperate for a win as we don't want to finish the season on the bottom of the ladder and that's something you can only fix with wins."

One of those "great players" is England international Bateman, with the second-rower integral to the Raiders' creative attack.

Jackson won't line up on the same side of the field as Bateman but said the 26-year-old, who will return to the UK at season's end, will have a target on his back.

"He's a guy who is a little bit unorthodox with what he does and that's what makes him such a good player," Jackson said of Bateman.

"He's unpredictable and you never really know what to expect with him.

"I've enjoyed watching him come over (to Australia ) and show the different skills that he brings but he's one guy we've identified to try and do our best with."

Among the Bulldogs changes, English recruit Luke Thompson has been rested while Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is back on the wing after missing the past two games.

For the Raiders, props Josh Papalii and Dunamis Lui and lock Hudson Young return to the starting side after coming off the bench last week.

STATS THAT MATTER

* Canberra captain Jarrod Croker has scored six tries in his past six matches against Canterbury.

* Bulldogs playmaker Kieran Foran has been involved in 20 of their 49 linebreaks (41 per cent).

* The Raiders have scored 16 tries from kicks, the equal second most behind Newcastle.