Rogers to face contact test on ribs - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Rogers to face contact test on ribs

By Wayne Heming 30/06/2009 10:43:44 PM Comments (0)

Dual international Mat Rogers will have his dicey ribs rattled a few times before being passed to make the Titans' bogey trip to Canberra this weekend.

Rogers was named on Tuesday by coach John Cartwright along with injured prop Michael Henderson (fractured thumb) and winger Chris Walker, a late withdrawal against the Warriors because of migraine headaches, to play a Canberra side on a huge high after upsetting NRL heavyweights Melbourne last weekend.

If Rogers gets the green light, veteran utility Preston Campbell will shift back to fullback with William Zillman dropping to the bench as an impact weapon against his old club.

Walker has been reinstated on the flank despite an eye-catching performance by young winger David Mead, who scored two tries in only his second NRL outing.

With forwards Luke Bailey and Anthony Minichiello still on the sidelines, Henderson will soldier on with a broken thumb against the Raiders until the cavalry arrives in a few weeks.

"It's broken, but it's not too bad," said Henderson, who has fought his way back from a broken leg two years ago to be playing impressively.

"Provided I can catch and pass, I'll be right to play this weekend," he said on Tuesday.

"Players play injured all the time and we've got a few blokes coming back next week so if I need to have a few weeks off, I can have it then.

"We've got a few guys out and we need all the troops we can get. I've missed a lot of footy to past two years and I just want to play.

"There's a bit of pain but I've had a lost worse over the last few years so it's not a concern."

The Titans are equal premiership leaders with the Bulldogs and St George Illawarra but Henderson said the Raiders were a 20-point better side playing at home, recalling the Gold Coast have not played well in their two previous visits to the nation's capital.

"They've shown that and towelled us up the last couple of years so we need to go down there with a really good attitude and stop their big forwards from offloading," he said on Tuesday.

Cartwright said his players had to ignore newspaper talk and their position on the ladder and stay focused on the Raiders on Sunday.

"When you pick up a paper, it's hard not to notice your position (on the ladder) and what the headlines are," he said.

"But we've got to put that to one side.

"It's a great position to be in and you'd rather be there than anywhere else.

"If the last few years have taught us anything, it's about staying focused on the small tasks that are in front of us each week, and at this stage, that's the Raiders."

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