Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr has stood himself down, while Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary is ready to step up as the eight contenders crank up their preparations for the opening weekend of finals.
In a bid to try and shield his teammates from the publicity surrounding his alleged failed roadside drug test, Addo-Carr chose not to make himself available for selection for the sudden-death showdown with the Sea Eagles at Accor Stadium.
Addo-Carr, who missed last Saturday's match against the Cowboys after injuring his ankle at training on Thursday, maintains his innocence and is hoping a second test will clear him.
Wests Tigers-bound Jeral Skelton has been named to replace the former Test and Origin star in Canterbury's first finals appearance since 2016.
“Under the RLPA CBA rules we have no reason to stand Josh down from the game this weekend until the results of that last test are known,” Bulldogs GM of football Phil Gould said on Tuesday.
“There is obviously a backlog in these tests. This could take up to eight to 10 weeks, which will be well under the end of the season.
“That’ll be the truth of the matter is what comes back with that test, which is the second test taken at the scene on Friday night.”
Match: Bulldogs v Sea Eagles
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Bulldogs
6th Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
7th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
After hearing from Gould and Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo before training, captain Stephen Crichton insisted players would be able to focus on the match against the Sea Eagles.
“The club's looking after all of it and that's probably a good thing, so the boys can just focus on what they're good at, and that's playing footy and training well throughout the week," Crichton said.
“We are definitely going to miss him, he's been in a lot of big games, but we have confidence from the boys that stepped in when we were missing Foxx for a few games throughout the year.
"Whoever has jumped into that position has absolutely killed it and that's the next up mentality that Ciro has created here at the club."
Manly will welcome back star fullback Tom Trbojevic after a week off to overcome an AC joint injury.
Meanwhile, defending champions Penrith have been given an enormous boost ahead of their clash with the Roosters with Cleary named to return from the shoulder injury he suffered in Round 24.
Cleary has been restricted to just 10 games this season due to shoulder and hamstring injuries, but the superstar halfback is ready to spearhead his team's charge for a fourth premiership on the trot.
Match: Panthers v Roosters
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Panthers
2nd Position
away Team
Roosters
3rd Position
Venue: BlueBet Stadium, Penrith
“He brings this aura and he has this type of feeling that if the game goes down to the wire, we’re a big chance of winning because he’s there,” Penrith five-eighth Jarome Luai said.
“If we’re behind on the scoreboard on any situation, we’re always going to be in the game. That’s what he brings to this team – the belief.”
Second-rower Liam Martin, who defends next to Cleary on Penrith's right edge, said he was unconcerned about the Roosters forwards testing out his injured shoulder by running at him with the ball.
“He’s as tough as they come,” Martin said. “What he’s done… that Grand Final [last year] just demonstrates… that he has the willpower to win and it’s pretty inspiring for the rest of us.
“The Roosters are such a quality side and have been for a long time. Whenever you verse them, you want to match them and step it up a gear.
“We’ve always done that pretty well against them in the past, but this is a whole new game. We’ll just approach it the same.”
Cronulla have made one change to their 17 for Saturday's clash with Melbourne, with Oregon Kaufusi returning to the side in place of Tom Hazelton, who picked up a knee injury in last week's win over Manly. The prop remains in the extended squad and is a chance of featuring.
The Sharks will travel south to face a Melbourne side bolstered by the return of star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen from a leg injury. Craig Bellamy has also welcomed back Christian Welch in the only other change to the team that beat Brisbane in Round 27.
Finally, Kai Pearce-Paul is in the mix to return from a nasty laceration after being named in the reserves for Newcastle's clash with North Queensland.
The Cowboys welcome back Jordan McLean who was rested last weekend due to a minor hamstring complaint.
