It wouldn’t be NRL Grand Final week without an injury scare and Broncos star Herbie Farnworth is under a cloud for Sunday’s game after a training mishap.
Teams have been named and both coaches have announced unchanged squads from the preliminary finals.
Farnworth failed to finish training on Tuesday due to a thigh problem and the English centre received treatment to assess the extent of the injury. If he were to be ruled out, Kevin Walters could recall veteran winger Corey Oates with Jesse Arthars moving into the centres.
But the fact that he didn’t include a specialist centre like Deine Mariner in his extended squad suggests Farnworth will be fine.
Broncos coach Kevin Walters said on Wednesday that all his injured players were no chance of missing the match.
Star fullback Reece Walsh and captain Adam Reynolds also had treatment on their left legs during Tuesday’s session while prop Payne Haas was battling a finger complaint.
Walsh was on the ground for eight minutes receiving assistance from Broncos physiotherapist Luke Anning on what appeared to be a hamstring or glute issue.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
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Penrith duo Jarome Luai (shoulder) and Izack Tago (pectoral) made it through their comeback match unscathed in the preliminary final win over Melbourne.
Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary copped a head wound but will be right to face the Broncos.
Storm duo Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Josh King were fined for incidents in the loss to the Panthers.
Asofa-Solomona was charged with a Grade One Dangerous Contact offence on Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo in the 58th minute while King was charged one minute later for the same offence on Cleary.
In the NRLW, the judiciary system allowed star Newcastle forward Caitlan Johnston to pay $400 to play in the grand final, despite a high tackle charge.
Johnston was on Monday morning hit with a grade-one charge for a careless high tackle on Brisbane lock Mariah Denman in the Knights’ 30-24 semi-final win on Sunday.
While the offence carries with it a one-match ban with an early guilty plea, NRLW rules allow players to accept a $400 fine in place of most grade-one offences.
It means the NSW and Australian representative prop will be able to play in the decider against the Gold Coast. The Titans and Knights have named unchanged line-ups.
Caitlan Johnston celebrates. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)
NRLW GF: Knights vs Titans – at Accor Stadium, 3.55pm on Sunday, October 1