The Canberra Raiders will head into the final round of the regular season without a host of their stars after Ricky Stuart confirmed several players will be given the week off.
As reported in the Daily Telegraph, Kaeo Weekes, Ethan Strange, Jed Stuart and Josh Papali’i are among those who will not feature against the Dolphins on Sunday, with Stuart confirming they will all sit out round 27.
Last weekend’s 28-18 victory over the Wests Tigers secured the minor premiership for Canberra, clinching top spot on the ladder with a round to play.
With the J.J. Giltinan Shield now in their possession, Stuart has chosen to prioritise player welfare, over momentum as the finals approach.
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Their absence paves the way for opportunities, with teenage playmaker Ethan Sanders set to make his first-grade debut and forward Trey Mooney promoted into the starting side before his move to Newcastle next year.
Stuart said the decision was about ensuring his squad is fit and firing for the business end of the season, admitting that a number of senior players had been carrying knocks.
He explained that while some players could have pushed through, they would gain far more from a week’s rest, describing the decision as a chance to “freshen up bodies” before finals football begins.
The Raiders coach indicated as many as eight or nine regulars could eventually be withdrawn from the side, although only four have been confirmed so far.
Stuart also pointed to Kaeo Weekes’ early exit against the Tigers as an example of the careful management in place, with the playmaker told at the time he was likely to sit out Round 27.
It will be interesting to see if more big names are given a break, with players like Hudson Young carrying injuries throughout the season as well as the toll of State of Origin, while forward leader Joseph Tapine has shouldered a huge workload all year and looms as another candidate for a spell.
With a home final secured, the Raiders are focused on finding the balance between keeping combinations sharp and ensuring their key men head into week one of the finals fresh and free of further knocks.
It appears likely that more names will be added to the list of rested players when the final team is announced tomorrow.