These days Canberra boss John McIntyre regards Neil Henry's sensational departure from the Raiders as "just another splinter in the bum as you slide down the banister of life".

Just 12 months ago though it was regarded much more seriously.

The Raiders were left red-faced when then Canberra coach Henry invoked a forgotten get out clause to sign a lucrative deal with North Queensland from 2009.

So it was no surprise when Henry admitted this week he expected a hostile reception from the Raiders faithful when the Cowboys faced Canberra in their Monday night NRL clash.

It marks the first time Henry will appear in the national capital in Cowboys colours.

McIntyre said on Thursday there were no hard feelings with Henry - but warned the Raiders fans might not be so forgiving if the new Cowboys coach was sighted on the sideline.

"Fans usually take that sort of thing out on players, they don't seem to mind so much about coaches," he told AAP.

"Unless he decides to go down and sit on the sidelines. Then there might be a few that might make a noise."

Henry spectacularly caught the Raiders out barely a year ago.

The Raiders issued a statement saying Henry would remain until the end of the 2008 season and McIntyre was quoted in the Canberra paper saying their coach was going nowhere.

But they had forgotten about an escape clause which allowed Henry to break his Raiders deal provided he gave between two and nine months notice.

Soon after he was unveiled as Graham Murray's replacement at the Cowboys.

But McIntyre said Henry's return was "just another game of football".

"That's life. I have been involved in the game too long to let those things get to me," he said of Henry's departure.

"It's just another splinter in the bum as you slide down the banister of life.

"But the fact that it will be the first time we meet since Neil decided to go back up to Townsville - hopefully that will get a few more people through the turnstiles."

Henry conceded new Canberra coach David Furner would "love nothing more" than to break his 2009 winning duck against his former mentor.

The Raiders are dead last on 0-3 but McIntyre claimed the unlucky Canberra outfit should have four points to their name.

"We should be on four points, there's no doubt about that," he said.

He singled out their last result - an 18-16 loss to Parramatta.

McIntyre was still unhappy about a no-try ruling from the video referee against winger Justin Carney in the 60th minute, when he crashed over but was ruled to have come up short.

"The difference was if (video referee) Russell Smith had said `ref's call' instead of saying he didn't get it down you could probably bet that the referee would have awarded a try," he said.

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