Canberra coach David Furner is confident star playmaker Terry Campese will be fit for his team’s NRL season opener against Melbourne despite another injury scare.
Campese was a late omission from the Raiders’ 16-14 final trial win against Canterbury on Saturday after pulling up sore after training.
But Furner insisted Campese had only been rested as a precaution, with no indication he’d incurred the same groin tear that ruled him out halfway through last season.
“He just pulled up sore … just the abductor area or groin, not sure where exactly,” Furner said.
“(Before the game), I just went out there and he was still um-ing and ah-ing, wondering if he was going to start and if he was going to get through it, but I just said ‘mate, don’t worry about it’.
“I’m thinking he will be right.”
The Raiders’ cautious approach is understandable, with the five eighth considered crucial to their finals hopes.
Expected to be named Raiders captain next week, Campese played only eight minutes in 2011 after tearing his groin in his comeback game from knee surgery.
Furner had no doubt the 27-year-old would make the opening round.
“When you’re talking about something (that happened) the day before and you’re nearly close to playing (the trial), he’ll be right in two weeks,” Furner said.
With their trial match schedule complete, the Raiders now have a clear run to prepare for their season start against the Storm at Canberra Stadium on Friday week.
Furner said he was pleased with the Raiders’ final trial, particularly their early dominance.
The Bulldogs were forced to fight from 12-0 down after just eight minutes following quick tries to Shaun Berrigan and Jarrod Croker, who has also just returned from injury.
“It’s a situation we didn’t handle as well last year and I think we did (here),” Furner said.
“We talked about mental toughness and I think we showed that.”