Sam Williams has been ruled out of Canberra’s NRL season-opener against Penrith with a virus, making way for Blake Austin to start at five-eighth.

Austin, in his first game since having shoulder surgery last September, had initially been named on the bench but will take Williams’ place on a hot Saturday afternoon at GIO Stadium.

Kurt Baptiste has been added to the bench as a replacement for hooker Josh Hodgson, with the temperature expected to reach 35 degrees.