Canberra coach David Furner insists injury, not form, is behind Matt Orford's omission from the Raiders side to play North Queensland in Townsville on Saturday night.
The maligned halfback did not train yesterday due to a lower back injury and has been replaced by Toyota Cup playmaker Sam Williams.
Orford has struggled to adjust in his return to the NRL, with many experts calling for the Bradford recruit to make way for Williams in recent weeks.
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Williams, 20, starred on debut in the Raiders' crushing round one victory over Cronulla, earning man of the match honours.
Canberra is desperate to snap a four-game losing streak against the Cowboys, and Williams faces a daunting match-up against Australia and Queensland halfback Johnathan Thurston.
"We had a good talk [with medical staff about Orford], and for this week's game we need to take in fit players," Furner said.
"He had a clash with [Penrith prop Petero] Civoniceva [last week] and Matty couldn't guarantee he'd be able to train tomorrow.
"We've only got two sessions before we travel to North Queensland and with a couple of other players in doubt I need to take as fit a team as possible."
Furner believed the level of criticism directed at Orford, who is expected to miss just one match, had been unfair. Many other Raiders players are also performing well below their best, and Furner demanded a better attitude against the Cowboys after last week's uninspired 36-10 loss at Penrith.
Should Canberra lose to the fourth-placed Cowboys, it would be the first time it has lost five straight games since the end of 2005.
"Not only individually but as a team, we didn't perform [against Penrith] as we would have liked," Furner said.
"A lot has been said [about Orford's form], but at the end of the day Sammy gets an opportunity. The criticism is unfairly thrown at Matt when you have a look at those games and where we could have won those games."
Furner said Orford had shown marked signs of improvement against the Panthers and was desperate to play this week.
"He was very keen. There's a lot been said and I know that Matt is a competitor that wants to play," Furner said. "I am more than confident of what Matty is able to do, and thought last week defensively he was very strong. He also set up the first try, so there was a lot of good signs for Matt."
In other selection news, centre Joel Thompson has been named to make his return after he lost an estimated 1.5litres of blood due to facial injuries in the aftermath of Canberra's loss to Gold Coast a fortnight ago.
Thompson trained strongly yesterday and will take his place if he gets through today's session.
Glen Buttriss will start at hooker with Travis Waddell relegated to the bench.
In-form prop Dane Tilse [hamstring] wasn't named, but rates himself some chance of returning after sitting out the Panthers clash.
