NRL: Sua’ali’i, Edwards in doubt for Panthers v Roosters final
The Penrith Panthers and Sydney Roosters have several key players in doubt ahead of their NRL qualifying final this Friday night at BlueBet Stadium.
Already missing a raft of starters, the Tricolours could also be without Wallabies-bound centre Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i this weekend.
NRL FINALS 2024: PANTHERS v ROOSTERS PREVIEW & BETTING TIPS
He has reportedly been undergoing intense physiotherapy since taking a hit to the neck against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in round 27.
Nevertheless, Sua’ali’i has been named in the Roosters’ starting lineup.
“It’s hard because this time of year you want your whole squad to be healthy,” Roosters captain James Tedesco said on Wednesday.
“That goes a long way to winning a premiership, but we can’t use that as an excuse.”
Sydney will be missing Victory Radley, Sam Walker and Brandon Smith due to injury, while veteran enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is out suspended.
“Even though we’ve got a couple of guys out, we aren’t too disheartened by that,” Tedesco added.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence in the guys coming in.”
Panthers sweating on Edwards, Cleary gets green light
Penrith have some concerns of their own.
Star fullback Dylan Edwards has had his right knee strapped heavily in recent games, but the 2022 Clive Churchill Medal winner insists his recovery is going well.
“I’m going good and getting better,” Edwards said on Tuesday.
“Everyone is talking about the knee and all that but I’m getting better every week.
“It took a couple of weeks but I’m getting better on it every week and getting more confidence.
“No-one will be playing without something ailing at the moment. It just is what it is.”
In better news for the Panthers, star playmaker Nathan Cleary has been declared fit for the opening round of the finals.
Cleary, who almost single-handedly won Penrith the 2023 NRL Grand Final, has missed the club’s last three matches due to an ongoing shoulder injury.
Many were expecting him to miss the first week of finals, but coach Ivan Cleary has revealed that the halfback is able to play without pain medication.
With their superstar skipper set to start, the Panthers head into Friday’s clash as $1.40 favourites with Bet365.
Meanwhile, other NRL bookmakers are paying as much as $3 for the undermanned Roosters to spring an upset.
