Sio Siua Taukeiaho is on track to overcome an ankle sprain and face South Sydney in Saturday night’s preliminary final, but the injury may bump the Sydney Roosters down to their third-choice goal-kicker in Blake Ferguson.
Taukeiaho limped off in the opening minutes of the Roosters’ qualifying final win over Cronulla two weeks ago, with coach Trent Robinson unsure of his availability as recently as last Friday.
But the Tongan representative front-rower’s prognosis has since improved, crucial given the Roosters will still enter the grand-final qualifier without suspended Queensland State of Origin prop Dylan Napa.
“I’m pretty confident,” Taukeiaho told AAP on Tuesday.
“It’s not too bad. We’re just taking it slowly at the moment and just trying to look after it and get it ready for this week.
Regardless though, the injury to the left ankle could still significantly hurt the Roosters given superstar centre and first-choice goal-kicker Latrell Mitchell will miss the match through suspension.
Taukeiaho has kicked in games this year when Mitchell has been out and has a 76 per cent career record with the boot.
But while the injury is on his non-kicking leg, his inability to put significant pressure on his left ankle has so far prevented him from kicking this week in training with Blake Ferguson likely to take over.
Ferguson has also kicked this season in games where Mitchell and Taukeiaho have both been off the field, booting over six from seven in 2018 but at a career strike rate of 73.33 per cent.
Goal-kicking could also prove crucial in the Allianz Stadium clash, given three of this year’s six finals have been decided by just one point.
“It’s the foot I put all my pressure on,” Taukeiaho said.
“I’m not 100 per cent. At the moment Blake Ferguson is practising goals. I’m just more focused on trying to get myself out there.
“I’ve got to get myself ready 100 per cent to play on Saturday, and then I’ll focus on goal-kicking.”
Meanwhile utility Mitchell Aubusson will shift from the second row to left centre for Saturday’s clash in place of Mitchell, offering defensive resilience against the Rabbitohs right-edge pairing of Dane Gagai and Campbell Graham.