Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has conceded the NRL reigning premiers forward depth will be tested heading into Saturday’s qualifying final against a very dangerous Penrith.

The minor premiers have lost Dylan Napa and Aidan Guerra to suspension, while Jake Friend and Frank-Paul Nuuausula are recovering from injury.

Asked if his forward stocks were as depleted as they have been at any stage of their title defence, Robinson said, “It will be close. We’ve still got all guys who have played NRL, but missing Aidan and Napa and Frank-Paul coming back from injury, it’s a bit skinny.

“There’s some depth tested there. But that’s what squads are about.

“Most teams have gone through it. We’ve been lucky for quite a long time we’ve had most of our players available and now we have to see how we go tomorrow.”

Friend, who has missed one game after undergoing surgery to clear blood from his lungs, was running around at Friday’s captain’s run, but Robinson said the hooker wasn’t a chance to play on Saturday as he hadn’t done any contact work.

However, he admitted if the game was an elimination final he might well have selected Friend, who he now definitely expects to play a part in the Roosters’ finals campaign.

The Roosters closed the regular season with six straight wins to secure top spot and now faced fourth-placed Penrith at home at Allianz Stadium, where they beat them 32-12 in their only meeting this season.

“They earnt their spot, they’ve worked really hard,” Robinson said of Penrith.

“They are a dangerous team, playing especially off (hooker James) Segeyaro, (fullback Matt) Moylan and (halfback Jamie) Soward there, they’ve got some ad-lib footy with some big guys around them.

“They’ve got lots of rep experience around their team and they know how to play. They’ve really got a good structure about them, so very dangerous.”