Flu keeps Pearce away from fellow Roosters

Sydney Roosters medics quarantined halfback Mitchell Pearce from his teammates on Monday after the NSW star was struck down by a flu bug just six days before the NRL grand final against Manly.

Pearce sat through a video session with the rest of the squad in the morning, but was ordered home to prevent the threat of any further outbreaks.

Centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall said the decision was a sensible one and he fully expects the 24-year-old to take his place in the side to face the Sea Eagles at ANZ Stadium.

“I think he couldn’t sleep,” said Kenny-Dowall.

“(He) had a bad couple of days of sleep and wasn’t feeling the best.

“He had a bit of a flu, so they don’t want to take any risks and they sent him home to rest up and catch up on his sleep.

“He’s a massive part of our team and we’ll be needing him on Sunday.

“It’s not really a concern, I think it’s more a management thing, get it right at the start of the week so it’s not a big issue towards the end of the week.”

Sonny Bill Williams went into Saturday’s preliminary final win over Manly struggling from a bout food poisoning but Kenny-Dowall said no one else in the squad was suffering apart from Pearce.

“Everyone’s pretty good and we expect Boyd Cordner and Luke O’Donnell to be fit after injury,” he said.

“It’s a massive advantage for Trent Robinson, obviously having those options.

“He’s going to have some tough ones (selection decisions). Having more players available for selection is beneficial for our team. We want to put the best 17 on the park.”

The return of the NSW representatives give Roosters coach Trent Robinson a selection headache of the right sort ahead of the biggest game of his career.

Aidan Guerra has been an impressive performer since Cordner was sidelined with a serious ankle injury in August and scored twice in the win over Newcastle on Saturday.

The young Queenslander admitted he feared he may not have a career at the club after the arrival of Williams with Cordner a certain starter when he’s fit.

“I was in and out of the side earlier in the season and it was tough not playing first grade,” Guerra told AAP.

“But Robbo was always very straight with me and told me exactly what I needed to do to get back in the side and it was a case of knuckling down.

“I am happy with how I have been playing and I hope I have done enough to keep my spot for the grand final.

“I am not even thinking of the prospect of missing out.”

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