The Raiders will be without veteran Elliott Whitehead for their season opener against the Knights as he battles a calf injury. Whitehead is expected to miss between 3-4 weeks, with his place for Thursday's game taken by new recruit Zac Hosking. Also watching from the sidelines at McDonald Jones Stadium will be Knights hooker Jayden Brailey, who is nearing a return from a hamstring injury. "He's very close, if it's not Round 2 it'd be a definite Round 3," Knights coach Adam O'Brien said on Wednesday. "He looks really good, every time I see him, but given his history, it's a long season and I don't want to rush it." Source: NRL. com