Canberra Raiders to play a preseason game at Seiffert against Newcastle

The Raiders will play just one trial game before the 2017 season – against Newcastle at Seiffert Oval on February 18.

Aside from the Auckland 9s, it will be the Raiders' only pre-season hit-out before the season starts two weeks after their game at their "spiritual base".

With a handful of Raiders currently away on representative duty, Raiders recruitment manager Peter Mulholland said they would only need one game going into the season.

Last year the Raiders only played one trial – against the Knights in Orange – and finished the season just one try off making the grand final.

"We've got the 9s and the guys that aren't in the 9s may play in the second-grade trials," Mulholland said.

"I don't think any NRL club needs more than the one trial. I think we've got our players really prepared.

"It's an arduous season and we've got a lot of players who will have played right through to the end of December and we've got to be conscious of all of those.

"For that reason Ricky didn't take on the World Club Challenge. It's a very big campaign and it's a high level we've set ourselves to achieve next year by the performances this year."

He felt playing a game at Seiffert, which was the Raiders' home for their first eight seasons, was important.

"It's the spiritual base isn't it. I love going to games there, I used to go to as many games as I could possibly go to at Seiffert in the old days, I love it," Mulholland said.

"It's a wonderful ground, it's a spiritual ground, it's where it was founded and I think it's great for the players to be able to go back there and play there.

"And it's great for the supporters to get out there too. It's a little bit of a tribute to our history."

Meanwhile, Raiders board member Simon Hawkins has resigned after four years.

Hawkins is the chief executive of the Raiders Trading Group, which oversees the licensed clubs.

"It has been a privilege to serve on the Raiders board and watch the club move back to a position of strength," he said.

"It was particularly pleasing to see the way Ricky and his team performed this season both on and off the field, they really galvanised the community. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Raiders board members and wish they and the team all the very best in the 2017 season and beyond."