Dragons v Roosters
ANZ Stadium, 7pm Sunday
St George Illawarra enforcer Michael Weyman is hopeful of training fully with the Dragons tomorrow as he nurses an ongoing groin injury through NRL grand final week.
Weyman was involved only in rehab work yesterday as the Dragons trained in front of fans at their WIN Stadium base in preparation for Sunday's ANZ Stadium decider against the Sydney Roosters.
The former Canberra prop is likely to require off-season surgery for the injury, which he has carried throughout the season, but has been named to start by coach Wayne Bennett.
"It is [uncomfortable after a game] but I've been putting up with it all year so I've just got to take it easy," Weyman said yesterday.
"It's just one of those things you've got to stick at. It's coming along pretty nice.
"We've still got a bit of time before the big day so fingers crossed, but everything seems to be coming good at the moment."
Weyman is unlikely to miss the season finale, while the Dragons have also named Jarrod Saffy (quad) in their side, despite the bench forward missing last Saturday's 13-12 win over the Wests Tigers.
Prop Neville Costigan has had his infected tooth removed after having problems with it on the eve of the match against the Tigers.
Journeyman frontrower Jon Green has been named on an extended bench and will be on standby should Saffy or Weyman be unable to play.
Former Brisbane player Nick Emmett, promising backline talent Kyle Stanley and veteran Luke Priddis are the other players named on St George Illawarra's eight-man bench, which will be trimmed to four.
Priddis would join Glenn Lazarus as the only other player in league history to win a premiership with three different clubs should he get a run and the Dragons win.
However, the dual premiership winner from Brisbane and Penrith is highly unlikely to be included after a couple of weeks out of the side.
Roosters coach Brian Smith is a dreamer but not even he dared to imagine the Sydney Roosters making a grand final during his first season at the club.
Sitting back in the coaches' den you get a sense of positivity ahead of Sunday's decider, perhaps the same amount that was met with the challenge of taking the reins of a club in crisis. "To presume it would happen this quickly ... no, I'm not that big a dreamer," Smith admits.
"I'm the lucky one, I just lobbed into a place where everyone wanted change and everyone wanted things to be done differently.
"I hope I can say that some way down the track when I'm finished here, I can say every day has been a positive for me."
Now just 80 minutes away from a fairytale redemption story there are several "key moments" Smith points to as catalysts for the remarkable turnaround.
There is none more crucial than skipper Braith Anasta's final second field goal to keep their finals campaign alive.
"For everybody in our club, including me, he has sent a message 'I can do something here that's really special when it's needed'. The team has grown off the back of that," Smith said.
"It's given everybody the power to be able to say 'I might be able to do something like that myself'."
Smith made a bigger statement after his crowning as Dally M Coach of the Year when he declared this season was "as good a chance as ever" of him taking a side all the way.
The veteran coach of 27 seasons has been to the decider three times but never taken home the major prize.
That could all change come Sunday afternoon as the Tricolours aim to become the first side since Western Suburbs in 1934 to go from wooden spooners to premiers.
ARCHER, HAYNE TO REFEREE FINAL
Tony Archer and Shayne Hayne have been appointed to referee Sunday's NRL grand final between St George Illawarra and the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
NRL referees' coach Robert Finch yesterday announced the appointments, which will also see Gavin Reynolds referee the Toyota Cup grand final.
This will be Archer's fourth consecutive NRL premiership decider and Hayne's second.
"Tony and Shane continue to be the two leading referees in the game and they are the best combination for the biggest match of the year," Finch said.
"They are respected leaders in our team and have earned the right to represent all match officials on the most important of stages."
NRL chief executive David Gallop said: "The closer this competition gets, the more pressure there is on match officials and the fact that Tony and Shayne continue to perform at such a high level is a testament to their professionalism and skill.
"Even critics will tell you it is a job they wouldn't want to do and it says a lot about the strong character of the match officials that they are so dedicated to their roles."
DRAGONS v ROOSTERS
Dragons
Darius Boyd
Brett Morris
Mark Gasnier
Matt Cooper
Jason Nightingale
Jamie Soward
Ben Hornby (c)
Neville Costigan
Dean Young
Michael Weyman
Beau Scott
Ben Creagh
Jeremy Smith
Roosters
A. Minichiello
Joseph Leilua
Kane Linnett
S. Kenny-Dowall
Sam Perrett
Todd Carney
Mitchell Pearce
Jason Ryles
Jake Friend
F. Nuuausala
Nate Myles
M.Aubusson
Braith Anasta (c)
Dragons interchange: Nathan Fien, Trent Merrin, Matt Prior, Jarrod Saffy, Nick Emmett, Kyle Stanley, Jon Green, Luke Priddis (4 to be omitted).
Roosters interchange: Martin Kennedy, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Daniel Conn, James Aubusson, Nick Kouparitsas, Tom Symonds, Lopini Paea, Phil Graham (4 to be omitted).
- AAP
