Replaced by Adam Cook just 24 hours before the match, Ricky Stuart has provided the reason behind the absence of Ethan Strange on Sunday, while a forward re-injured his shoulder in the same match.

As the Raiders walked out onto the field on Sunday afternoon, Strange was a notable omission, having played every match this season and was relegated to 18th man duties.

However, Stuart has confirmed that he will be back next week against the Manly Sea Eagles on Saturday.

Stuart revealed that the young five-eighth was allowed to return home for three days as he attempts to look after the younger players in the roster as they deal with the physicality of the NRL for the first times in their career.

"I know how to look after young players. I spoke to him over the last month and I said 'Mate you're going to have a week off, you let me know when you most need it'," Stuart said.

"You guys see a lot of all his brilliant plays, such as Kaeo's. I see the physicality that he's copping as a young 19-year-old boy who's played every minute of the season.

"I've got to look after him because I feel on the back end of the season, he'll be better for the team.

"He wasn't happy with it at all. He's not a kid who wanted to shy away from playing, but me personally I've got to worry about Ehtan for the back end of the season. I've got to worry about how he starts the season next year.

"And I had to look after young players and I decided that he was going to have a week off. I let him go home for three days and then he came back in and did a couple of sessions with us and was obviously out in command.

"But when you've got so many of these younger boys in your squad it's important for me to actually shown some welfare to the physical side of it as well.

"It's all performance-based he knows that, but he'll come back in next week."

While Strange is expected to make his way back into the team next weekend, there is an injury cloud over second-rower Zac Hosking, who could potentially be out for the remainder of the season after re-injuring his shoulder, per The Canberra Times.

Unfortunately for the former Bronco and Panther, it is the same shoulder that saw him spend three months on the sidelines earlier this season.

The Raiders will also be without lock Morgan Smithies this week against the Manly Sea Eagles with the Englishman failing a HIA at the end of the match.