Bulldogs hit with COVID outbreak before ‘make or break’ clash
Canterbury have been hit hard by illness leading into their “make or break” clash against premiership heavyweights Penrith this weekend.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that 10 players from the Bulldogs squad didn’t train on Monday after a COVID outbreak at the club.
Jacob Preston missed training on Monday. Getty
Jacob Preston, Josh Curran and Kurt Mann were among the players unable to train, with the latter expected to be sidelined with a groin injury.
Cameron Ciraldo confirmed after his side’s round 24 win over the Dragons that a handful of players had missed training for the same reason last week.
The latest string of positive tests at Belmore comes as they face a do-or-die clash with the Panthers on Friday night that will determine their finals hopes.
Even with an upset victory, Canterbury would still be relying on other results to go their way in order to make a late run for the top-eight, but NRL great Billy Slater said the side’s focus must remain on the task at hand.
“That will make or break the Bulldogs’ chances – all they can do is win,” he said on Nine’s The Billy Slater Podcast on Monday.
“They can’t sit back and think about the opposition or whether they’re gonna get a chance to play finals -- they need to beat the Panthers.
“There’s a chance, but I think the Panthers at this time of year will narrow their focus, get their blinkers on and head towards that finals series.”
Canterbury are one win outside the finals picture and will need to win both their matches, while also hoping the Cowboys lose one of their remaining fixtures.
North Queensland will meet the Wests Tigers and Raiders in the final two rounds.
South Sydney are also a slim chance of missing the top-eight, but will play the Gold Coast Titans in round 26 and should lock in a finals berth.
