GOLD Coast Titans prop Michael Henderson will play through the pain of a broken thumb this weekend, when his side takes on the Canberra Raiders on the road in a further bid to shore up a NRL finals place.

Henderson was named in the side by coach John Cartwright on Tuesday to play the Raiders who are on a massive high after beating competition heavyweights Melbourne last weekend.

The Griffith-born Henderson downplayed his effort of playing with the broken digit, saying he is just trying to help out the team in any way he can.

"It's broken, but it's not too bad, provided I can catch and pass, I'll be right to play this weekend," Henderson said on Tuesday this week.

"Players play injured all the time and we've got a few blokes coming back next week so if I need to have a few weeks off, I can have it then.

"We've got a few guys out and we need all the troops we can get. I've missed a lot of footy to past two years and I just want to play.

"There's a bit of pain but I've had a lost worse over the last few years so it's not a concern."

The Titans are equal premiership leaders with the Bulldogs and St George Illawarra but Henderson said the Raiders were a 20-point better side playing at home, recalling the Gold Coast have not played well in its two previous visits to the nation's capital.

"They've shown that and towelled us up the last couple of years so we need to go down there with a really good attitude and stop their big forwards from offloading," Henderson said.

Cartwright said his players had to ignore newspaper talk and their position on the ladder and stay focused on the Raiders on Sunday.

"When you pick up a paper, it's hard not to notice your position (on the ladder) and what the headlines are," he said.

"But we've got to put that to one side.

"It's a great position to be in and you'd rather be there than anywhere else.

"If the last few years have taught us anything, it's about staying focused on the small tasks that are in front of us each week, and at this stage, that's the Raiders."

Dual international Mat Rogers was also named to play the Raiders after his injured ribs came through the initial inspections and in-form winger Chris Walker, a late withdrawal against the Warriors because of migraine headaches, will also play this weekend.