Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo says resting players this week \u201cwasn\u2019t a conversation\u201d and his team will approach Saturday\u2019s clash like any other a week out from a qualifying final against the Storm who will be missing three stars.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
But Ciraldo never contemplated resting players for the game against the Sharks, with another big home crowd expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe approach it like every other game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe never come into a game talking about ladder positions or outcomes. We\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always hard resting in round 27 because you lose a bit of rhythm going into the finals.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all understand it\u2019s a double-edged sword because they\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is what it is (Thursday night\u2019s carnage). There are things you can\u2019t control in this game, and there are things that you can. All we\u2019re worried about tomorrow are the things we can control.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou might not believe me, but it (the Storm game) is the furthest thing from my mind right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of talk about resting this year. It probably hasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a conversation. If someone came to me and said that they needed a rest, then I\u2019d listen to them. But they all want to play.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnari has been really consistent for us all year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been one of our best trainers through the pre-season but unfortunately got hurt at the start of the year. He\u2019s really reliable and does all the work ethic stuff that we love.\u201d<\/p>\n