Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo says resting players this week “wasn’t a conversation” and his team will approach Saturday’s clash like any other a week out from a qualifying final against the Storm who will be missing three stars.

Canterbury has third spot wrapped up and will travel to Melbourne next week, with Ciraldo resisting the urge to rest his stars just as former mentor Ivan Cleary did at the Panthers last week when 16 players sat out the game against the Bulldogs.

The Storm is probably wishing they gave their players the night off after Jahrome Hughes (broken arm), Ryan Papenhuyzen (head knock) and Nelson Asofa-Solomona (suspended) were ruled out in a massive pre-finals blow.

The Bulldogs have had their own issues in recent weeks, with Jacob Kiraz racing the clock to return this year as he deals with a foot injury, while Viliame Kikau spent time in hospital dealing with an infection but has been tormenting his teammates at training.

But Ciraldo never contemplated resting players for the game against the Sharks, with another big home crowd expected.

“We approach it like every other game,” he said.

“We never come into a game talking about ladder positions or outcomes. We’ve gone into every game chasing improvement, and every home game that we play is an opportunity to play in front of our fans and make them proud of the way that we play.

“It’s always hard resting in round 27 because you lose a bit of rhythm going into the finals.

“We all understand it’s a double-edged sword because they’re going out to play a brutal game tomorrow and anything can happen, but the plan has always been to build our game leading into finals and to manage our loads away from games.

“It is what it is (Thursday night’s carnage). There are things you can’t control in this game, and there are things that you can. All we’re worried about tomorrow are the things we can control.

“There are a number of things we want to see an improvement in, and if we see it, then that will give us a really good base to build from next week.

“You might not believe me, but it (the Storm game) is the furthest thing from my mind right now.

“There’s a lot of talk about resting this year. It probably hasn’t happened in the past because Penrith went and rested 16 players, but everyone else is just trying to build their game and get on with it.

“It’s not a conversation. If someone came to me and said that they needed a rest, then I’d listen to them. But they all want to play.”

With Kiraz unavailable, Ciraldo has turned to Enari Tuala to play on the wing, with the experienced outside back edging out Jethro Rinakama and Blake Wilson.

“Enari has been really consistent for us all year,” he said.

“He’s been one of our best trainers through the pre-season but unfortunately got hurt at the start of the year. He’s really reliable and does all the work ethic stuff that we love.”

Originally published as ‘It’s not a conversation’: Resting players never crossed Cameron Ciraldo’s mind as Bulldogs prepare to face battered Storm side next week