THE fitness of four key players will be the focus of Thursday night’s final training sessions for BFNL grand final combatants Strathfieldsaye and Sandhurst.
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Storm key position players Jayden Donaldson and Tom Bartholomew have one last chance to push for selection, while Sandhurst skipper Blair Holmes and goalsneak Joel Wharton will test their injured hamstrings.
Donaldson and Holmes are almost certain to play on Saturday, while Bartholomew and Wharton have work to do.
Sandhurst’s high-profile injured pair Tim Martin (ankle) and Nick Stagg (shoulder) will be rested and a decision on their fitness won’t be made until Saturday morning.
While Bartholomew, Donaldson, Holmes and Wharton are still in the mix to play, Nick Smith’s gallant effort to be fit for the Storm has failed.
The Storm star attempted to test his injured knee at training on Tuesday night, but it was soon apparent that the BFNL inter-league representative would not be fit enough to play.
“It’s shocking for Nick, but that’s the way it is, unfortunately,’’ Storm coach Darryl Wilson said.
“He tried to train, but it just wasn’t going to work for him.
“He’s now booked in for a knee reconstruction in two weeks.
“The hope is he will be back in 10 months time.”
Smith has been one of the Storm’s most consistent players in his four years with the club.
He spent most of 2014 across half-back where his run and creativity helped set up countless forward thrusts.
