The minor premiership-winning Canberra Raiders are set to rest several players for this weekend’s clash against the Dolphins.
The Raiders will finish atop the ladder for the first time in 35 years, locking up the J.J Giltinan Shield following a win over the Tigers in Round 26. It means their last round fixture is now a dead rubber for Canberra.
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Stuart revealed on Triple M that the Raiders are carrying some niggles and that a number of players are likely to be rested in readiness for the finals which start in a fortnight.
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“We’ve got some banged up players, and I spoke to Andrew Abdo yesterday before the presentation, and I just said, I will be resting some players that need it. There’s some players that are banged up,” Stuart said.
“I’ll just rest the players that I feel as though they absolutely need it because they’re banged up and there’s a few positional players there that I believe that I need fresh and healthy for semi-final one. So, I’ll make that decision as we go.
“I haven’t got a number.
“It could be half a dozen players, I just don’t know yet. It might be three or four players, it could be eight or nine. I want to talk to the players first. But I am looking at half a dozen players who need a rest in regards to carrying some niggles.”
It could gift the Dolphins a finals place as they need a final-round win, plus other results, to make the eight.
One player who is all but certain to miss the final round clash against the Dolphins is Raiders fullback Kaeo Weekes.
Stuart confirmed he had discussed it with Weekes, who has improved sharply in his second season at the Raiders to become one of Canberra’s most lethal attacking weapons.
“I took Kaeo Weekes off in the game (against Wests Tigers last Saturday) with about five minutes to go because he needed a break. He would be one player (to be rested). I’ve already spoken to Kaeo about it.”
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