The NRL community has been rocked by revelations that current competition leaders the Canberra Raiders are resting no-one this weekend.
With the Melbourne Storm sitting out five starters against the Sydney Roosters, in addition to suspended hooker Harry Grant, and the Penrith Panthers resting all 16 players who took the field in Round 25 against the Raiders in Mudgee, it was expected that Ricky Stuart would at least trot out half a NSW Cup side to face the Wests Tigers at GIO Stadium.
However proving yet again he is his own man, someone who happily zigs when others zag, Sticky opted for a radical selection room deviation that instantly set tongues wagging when Round 26 team lists dropped on Tuesday afternoon.
Sitting two points clear at the top of the NRL ladder with just two rounds to go, the minor premiership favourites have made just one team change—and a forced one at that—with Savelio Tamale coming into the starting side to replace injured winger Xavier Savage.
MORE: Panthers permutations—what Penrith’s mass resting actually means for NRL premiership run
“Look, I know it’s a bit controversial to expect rugby league players to actually play rugby league,” Stuart* declared of the Green Machine.
“But I had this crazy idea at home on Monday night—why change something that isn’t broken?
“Besides, if our fans are going to pay their hard-earned to come out and freeze their butts off on Saturday, I figured we might as well show up too.”
Sources within several rival NRL clubs speaking under condition of anonymity told Sporting News Australia they think Stuart is mad.
“Who does he think he is, making his best players play?” one club figure uttered in disbelief.
“It’s a dangerous game building form and combinations before the finals,” added another while hand ironing on debutant player names to first-grade jerseys.
“I mean, what if someone breaks a finger nail?”
* Yes, yes, none of this is true of course. But it almost could be.