Canberra co-captain Jarrod Croker didn’t tiptoe around the Raiders’ elephant in the room this NRL season; they sit third but haven’t beaten a top-four side all year.

Canberra have been in the top four almost all season but dropped three games against top-four trio Melbourne, South Sydney and Sydney Roosters.

However, the Green Machine have won seven of their past eight games and host the second-placed Roosters in a mouth-watering clash at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.

“It’s obviously something we need to do. To be the best you’ve got to beat the best and we’ve fallen just short against all three of those sides this season,” Croker told Fox Sports.

The Raiders have all but clinched their second finals berth in seven seasons as they look to snap a 25-year title drought, but they face a tough run home.

After the Roosters (second) they meet the Storm (first), Manly (fifth), Sharks (10th) and finish the regular season against the Warriors (12th).

Clinching a top-four berth will secure a crucial double chance in finals.

“We’re up in the top four for a reason. We believe we deserve to be there” Croker said.

The Roosters have lost their past five games in Canberra and must penetrate the second-best defence in the competition in front of a hostile crowd which could exceed 20,000.

Croker put the Raiders’ defensive improvement this year down to a gruelling preseason.

“We were in here November 1 and we had a lot of tough times in that pre-season, and we got through that together. It has really forged us well,” he said.