Sydney Roosters skipper Boyd Cordner says there’s no way to stop Canberra wrecking ball Josh Papalii – all you can do is limit the damage.

Papalii has found career-best form this NRL season and has gone to another level during the finals to have his side within striking distance of breaking their 25-year premiership drought.

After Papalii bulldozed South Sydney and scored the winning try in last week’s preliminary final win, coach Ricky Stuart described him as the form player of the competition.

And he is expected to be rewarded with his first Australian Test call-up in three years on Monday.

Heading into Sunday’s grand final, Cordner said trying to stop Papalii in his tracks was useless, and all they coud hope to do was slow him down.

“It’s going to be a tough task,” Cordner said.

“He’s been in some really good form this year, especially in this finals series.

“Josh is a great player and he has been for years.

“You can’t stop them, you just have to find ways to limit their opportunities.

“That’s what we’re gonna have to do with Josh. He’s always going to be there and have a good game, but it’s just our preparation around it and how we’re going to go about it.”

It’s no secret that conditioning issues have held Papalii back during his career but he has found discipline and consistency in 2019.

He has run for 3,460 metres this year, the second most of any forward, behind Brisbane’s Payne Haas (3,694m).

It sets up a mouth-watering head-to-head battle between Papalii and Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who returns from his latest suspension.

Asked if he expected to be targeted by the Roosters, Papalii said: “I don’t know. I’m just excited to be here and enjoying this week. Hopefully I can have a good game.”