Winger Jacob Kiraz has revealed he is happy to keep playing with painkilling injections as a patched-up Canterbury turn to a barely tested halves combination of Lachlan Galvin and Toby Sexton to save their NRL season.

Hurting from a gruelling 26-18 defeat to the Melbourne Storm last week, injuries have forced Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo into a major reshuffle for Sunday’s must-win semifinal with Penrith.

Galvin and Sexton will pair up in the halves for just the third game this season with regular five-eighth Matt Burton moving to centre to cover for the loss of injured captain Stephen Crichton.

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Crichton has been named on an extended bench but is unlikely to feature against his former club due to an ankle injury.

Ciraldo has stuck by Bailey Hayward at hooker after he missed 15 tackles against Melbourne, but has brought Reed Mahoney onto Canterbury’s bench.

Sunday’s game will be the first time the Dogs have trotted out a spine of Hayward, Galvin, Sexton and fullback Connor Tracey this season.

Burton will partner Bronson Xerri in the centres with Jethro Rinakama holding his wing spot alongside workaholic Kiraz, who has pulled through the Storm clash in one piece.

The 23-year-old Kiraz was rated a slim chance to feature in the finals series when he limped out of the Dogs’ round 26 win over Penrith with an ankle injury that was expected to sideline him for at least a month.

Jacob Kiraz of the Bulldogs walking back to his position during an NRL match

Jacob Kiraz scored for the Bulldogs last weekend against the Melbourne Storm. (AAP: James Gourley)

But Kiraz was back on the field in a little over two weeks and now, by hook or crook, will ensure he’s doing his utmost to extend the Dogs’ finals run by a week and end the Panthers’ premiership dynasty in the process.

“I pray everything heals quickly, I don’t know if it’s the Lebanese food or what because everyone’s trying to say that might be the secret,” Kiraz told AAP.

“I hate missing games and I remember the first two days thinking there’s no way I was going to play anytime over the next two weeks but thank God, the performance team looked after me and got me through.

“I knew I was going to play in pain. I said to the team and to the coach I do not care if I play in pain. As long as I can run, I don’t care.

“The needle helped a little bit, there’s some boys who can’t even play due to injury, so if I have to play through a little bit of pain now, it doesn’t bother me.”

NRL finals week two team lists

Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks, Saturday, September 20, 7:50pm AEST, Canberra Stadium

Canberra Raiders

1. Kaeo Weekes, 2. Savelio Tamale, 3. Matthew Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Jed Stuart, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Tom Starling, 10. Joseph Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Zac Hosking, 13. Corey Horsburgh, 14. Owen Pattie, 15. Simi Sasagi, 16. Morgan Smithies, 17. Ata Mariota, 18. Matt Nicholson, 19. Danny Levi, 20. Trey Mooney, 21. Ethan Sanders, 22. Chevy Stewart

Cronulla Sharks

1. William Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Jesse Ramien, 4. KL Iro, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall, 7. Nicho Hynes, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Toby Rudolf, 11. Billy Burns, 12. Teig Wilton, 13. Jesse Colquhoun, 14. Briton Nikora, 15. Siosifa Talakai, 16. Oregon Kaufusi, 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 18. Daniel Atkinson, 19. Mawene Hiroti, 20. Jayden Berrell, 21. Thomas Hazelton, 22. Hohepa Puru

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Penrith Panthers, Sunday, September 21, 4:05pm AEST, Stadium Australia

Canterbury Bulldogs

1. Connor Tracey, 2. Jacob Kiraz, 3. Bronson Xerri, 4. Matt Burton, 5. Jethro Rinakama, 6. Lachlan Galvin, 7. Toby Sexton, 8. Max King, 9. Bailey Hayward, 10. Josh Curran, 11. Viliame Kikau, 12. Jacob Preston, 13. Jaeman Salmon, 14. Kurt Mann, 15. Sitili Tupouniua, 16. Harry Hayes, 17. Reed Mahoney, 19. Blake Wilson, 20. Jake Turpin, 21. Samuel Hughes, 22. Marcelo Montoya, 23. Stephen Crichton

Penrith Panthers

1. Dylan Edwards, 2. Paul Alamoti, 3. Izack Tago, 4. Casey McLean, 5. Brian To’o, 6. Blaize Talagi, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Moses Leota, 9. Luke Sommerton, 10. Lindsay Smith, 11. Scott Sorensen, 12. Liam Martin, 13. Isaah Yeo, 14. Brad Schneider, 15. Liam Henry, 16. Isaiah Papalii, 17. Luke Garner, 18. Thomas Jenkins, 19. Matt Eisenhuth, 20. Daine Laurie, 21. Mavrik Geyer, 22. Mitch Kenny

AAP