League: Questions over Mason

Will he or won't he. The question whether Willie Mason will play his first game for the Bulldogs in nearly seven months was on the minds of both teams before the encounter at Ericsson Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

It's a game of politics. The Dogs aren't saying whether their 115kg, 1.95m Auckland-born juggernaut will be pulling on his boots, but they have booked him a ticket to fly to Auckland.

Mason suffered a foot injury at the end of last year's Tri Nations series, a problem that has raised angst at the Bulldogs ever since.

He was originally predicted to return in round 20, but has been running with the team this week.

Also in the frame for the Bulldogs is another New Zealand-linked player plagued by injury, bench utility Reni Maitua, who has been out with a knee injury, but is also about to return.

There were contrasting and conflicting predictions from the two clubs yesterday as they ran the confusion and interference line.

The Bulldogs football manager, Bradley Clyde, was cagey on the chances of either Mason or Maitua playing on Sunday.

"Willie is travelling with the team, but it's more to get him back into the routine. He's probably not going to be ready for another couple of weeks," Clyde said

The Warriors responded: "If they have any chance of playing them [Mason and Maitua], they will. They're in the situation where they have to look at it."

The Bulldogs are on 17 competition points and have had four of those from two byes. The Warriors are on 16 and have two points to come from the bye in the 26th and final round.

The Warriors' record at home this season is four-four, while the Dogs' away record is three-three.