Wests Tigers prop Aaron Woods hopes coach Mick Potter resists the urge to rush star playmaker Benji Marshall back from injury for Friday’s NRL clash with Canterbury.
Marshall has missed the past two games with a toe injury which was originally set to sideline him until at least round nine.
But with the injury crisis which has hit the Tigers, including a season-ending knee injury to fullback-cum-halfback Tim Moltzen, Potter is considering whether to bring Marshall back a week early.
Despite the 14th-placed Tigers precarious position on the ladder, that would be a bad idea according to Woods, who doesn’t want to risk losing Marshall for the rest of the season as well.
“We want him to be 100 per cent right,” Woods said on Monday.
“Because if he comes back 80 per cent he’ll come back and hurt himself and we’ll lose him for the rest of the year, which we don’t want.
“We’re giving Benji as much time as he wants.
“I don’t know if he’ll play this week, or the next couple of weeks, it’s just up to the physio.”
Should Marshall continue to be unavailable, as well as five-eighth Braith Anasta (groin) and the two newest members of a growing injury ward, Chris Lawrence (hamstring) and Blake Ayshford (ankle), Potter could call on untried youngsters.
But Woods believes the likes of halfback Luke Brooks and centre Tim Simona will handle the step up in class with ease.
“It’s a massive hole, a massive dent,” he said.
“But we’ve got our young blokes going well in the 20s and premier league, so they’ll step up come this week against the Dogs.
“… No doubt they’d handle it.
“I reckon it’s a lot easier coming up to first grade and playing with the guys we’ve got there.
“It’s not too hard. They’ve just got to go into the game prepared 100 per cent.
“All the boys have got all the faith in the world in them. We’ll be ready when they come in.”