Size doesn't matter to North Queensland Cowboys co-captain Matt Scott.

Arguably the NRL's most formidable forward pack does not scare the Test prop ahead of Saturday night's NRL showdown with Canberra in Townsville.

But the Raiders' slight 82kg, 182cm halfback Sam Williams clearly has Scott worried.

Scott can nail down a starting spot in the Test pack for next month's Anzac Test with a dominant performance against the Raiders giants.

And he could afford to joke about the looming battle against the likes of Four Nations teammates David Shillington and Tom Learoyd-Lahrs ahead of their NRL clash.

"I might give Shillo's head a bit of a rub in the grass but that's about it," Scott laughed on Friday.

"But it's a good challenge - they have a massive pack.

"They don't have just one dominant forward - we are going to have to do a job on all of them."

Scott seemed more wary of livewire Williams.

Filling in for an injured Matt Orford, Williams made a dream NRL debut by tearing the Sharks apart in Canberra's season-opening 40-12 win.

The 20-year-old hasn't played since - and Canberra haven't tasted victory in a four-game losing run.

But injury to the out-of-sorts Orford (back) has again opened the door for Williams and Scott expects the former Junior Kangaroo to burst through.

"We don't know much about him," Scott admitted.

"We have spoken to a few of the (Cowboys) under 20s boys who played against him last year and by all reports he is a really good young player, he's got a good kicking game, he's pretty lively.

"We will watch a bit of vision on him and will have to be pretty aware."

Raiders under-20s captain Williams had an extra spring in his step this week after re-signing for another two years and the stage is set for a fascinating master-v-apprentice halfback duel with Cowboys co-captain Johnathan Thurston.

But Scott said the forward clash was his first priority as the likes of Learoyd-Lahrs and Shillington look to stake a claim for May's Test on the Gold Coast.

Especially after the Cowboys lost backrower Gavin Cooper and the giant James Tamou to suspension this week.

"It's a different thing knowing what they are going to do and trying to stop it," Scott said of Canberra's forwards.

"We have had a talk between ourselves as forwards - we know what a challenge it is and are looking forward to it."

The Cowboys pack's task was not made any easier by news that Raiders forwards Dane Tilse (hamstring) and Joe Picker (ankle) travelled as part of an extended 19-player squad to Townsville on Friday.

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