After receiving man-of-the-match honours in the first game, Billy Slater has not ruled out Reuben Cotter to switch into the starting side for Game 2.
Cotter has been named on the bench for Wednesday's game, although the versatile forward could be a late switch into the starting team.
After Tom Gilbert suffered a dislocated shoulder and left the field in the opening game, Cotter played the majority of the contest on the right edge. However, this position has been taken by club teammate Jeremiah Nanai who has been named to replace Gilbert.
While Nanai may have been named in the starting team - and Cotter on the bench - Slater hasn't ruled out a possible late change.
โThat's an option for us. Jeremiah plays on that right edge and he's in some great touch,โ Slater said.
โObviously he had a bit of time off, but the game he came back he had a lot of energy about his footy so there's a good few options there.
โ(Cotter) is quite versatile, I've seen him play a little bit of dummy half too. Given our last four games, we need those contingencies and we need those back-up plans.
โWe lost two wingers in game I, we lost two backrowers in game I, we had Ben Hunt and David Fifita playing in the centres for a period of time there.
โI've come to learn that you need a back-up plan, you need to be able to think of everything.โ
On Monday, assistant coach Cameron Smith spoke toย SEN, brushing off any concerns around the health of the squad. Smith confirmed there are no injury concerns ahead of Game 2- unlike the NSW Blues.
Everyone's got a clean bill of health, no injuries, no issues,โ Smith toldย SEN 1170 Breakfast.
โThere's no one sort of being rested or monitored with our training sessions, everyone's one hundred per cent fit, no issues through all of our camp so that's good.
โTouch wood it stays that way because the preparation has been great, the guys have been in a good position and are in a great frame of mind at the moment, we're getting close now, so hopefully it stays that way.โ
He also discussed if there were going to be any last-minute changes. Contradicting what Billy Slater and numerous reports have said, Smith denied there would be any changes.
โAs far as the changeup in the lineup, I don't think there's going to be any changes at all, we've prepared in a way in which the team has been named,โ Smith added.
โAll week, we've had media at our entire sessions, so if there was any changes or people out of position that would've been reported by now.
โDepending on what Billy sees in the next couple of days, he may change but these things happen in NRL matches every week where there might be a late change with a ruck or backrower."
