SAM Burgess says Rodrick Tai’s absence from Warrington Wolves’ clash with London Broncos is down to a genuine injury concern as opposed to being a case of squad rotation.
The Papua New Guinean centre was not named in The Wire’s 21-man squad for Friday’s game, with the club confirming his absence was due to a “minor ankle injury.”
Burgess elaborated during his pre-match press conference that Tai had sustained “a slight sprain” in the act of scoring the final try of Saturday’s 66-0 thrashing of Huddersfield Giants.
He also confirmed that youngster Arron Lindop would replace him at right centre despite the return of Stefan Ratchford to the 21-man squad after two months on the sidelines due to multiple facial fractures sustained in the Round 18 victory at St Helens.
“He'll be out for a week or so – I'm not resting him, he's injured,” Burgess said of Tai.
“(Arron) Lindop will just jump straight into that right centre spot so that's fine.
“He just has a slight sprain in his ankle from last week – I think he rolled his ankle when he scored that try towards the back end of the game.
“He was okay to finish the game but he just pulled up a bit sore. We probably thought he needed a week off, it'll be good for him.”
When asked if Tai’s participation in the play-offs could be in doubt, Burgess replied: “I don't know, but he's okay.
“I think if it was the last week of the year, he'd play this week but it's silly to risk it now.
“We think a week off will do him the world of good and get him in much better fitness for the following week.”
Burgess also reiterated that full-back Matt Dufty would return this week following a four-game absence with a knee injury.
The Australian had surgery on the issue after scoring a hat-trick in the Magic Weekend win over Leeds Rhinos but the Wire boss insists he is now operating at “100 per cent.”
He will start Friday’s game and with Cai Taylor-Wray unlikely to be carried on the bench to manage his minutes, Burgess says he has in-game solutions ready should he feel the need to bring Dufty off.
“The plan is to play Dufts for the game,” he said.
“We've got a plan in case he doesn't play the full 80 but he has trained well over the last week or so, so we'll see how he goes and how the game goes.
“We're probably not going to carry Cai, we'll be able to manoeuvre it around another way.
“I need my rotations right, more so for what it's going to be like through the finals.”
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