In-form reserves nipping at second-rate Raiders' heels

Tom Starling (pic) comes into the Canberra line-up in place of out-of-form hooker Danny Levi. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

The second-stringers are nipping at the heels of Canberra's under-fire NRL stars with coach Ricky Stuart showing he won't be afraid to wield the axe if his side's slump continues.

Out-of-form hooker Danny Levi has been dropped to the bench in favour of Tom Starling while prop Emre Guler has been left out of the 17 following Canberra's miserable 48-24 defeat to Wests Tigers.