NRL: Eels skipper faces torrid fitness test

Nathan Cayless will put his hamstring to the test on Saturday. Photo / Getty Images

Nathan Cayless is braced for National Rugby League grand final d-day on Saturday, when he'll either tear his hamstring in a fitness test or be cleared to play for an elusive premiership ring.

The Kiwis' World Cup-winning captain remained a doubtful starter to lead the Eels in Sunday's decider against Melbourne, but said he remained positive of defying the injury.

Eels medical staff have set him a task of a torrid session on match eve when his strained hamstring will have to hold up to get the green light.

"I'll have a fitness test on Saturday and I'll either re-tear it then, or I'll get through it and be able to play," Cayless said today.

"If I don't play that means I've re-torn my hamstring again. That's the extent they're going to go to and that's fair enough.

"I'm definitely not going to put myself before the team. That's why we're in this position because everyone's committed to the team and everyone's worked hard for each other."

Young prop Broderick Wright was on standby to replace Cayless if he failed the fitness test.

It all added up to an agonising wait for the 31-year-old skipper whose only grand final in an 11-year career with the Eels was a defeat to Newcastle in 2001.

"Obviously on Friday night I was pretty devastated when I came off. But in the second half I went and sat on the bench with the boys and I was just so happy for the boys and everyone at the club.

"I've just been positive, I've got to prepare like I'm going to play the game. If I get ruled out on Saturday then so be it, Broderick will come in and do the job. That's all I can do."

Cayless suffered the injury early in Friday's grand final qualifier against the Bulldogs and the initial diagnosis of a tear was upgraded to a strain at the weekend.

Since then he's hardly slept, icing the injury every hour and stretching, along with four physiotherapy sessions a day and some acupuncture. He said the nine-day gap between the Bulldogs match and the grand final worked in his favour.

Cayless' availability was the only headache for coach Daniel Anderson this week after Dally M player of the year Jarryd Hayne and hooker Matt Keating were cleared by the NRL match review committee yesterday.

The Eels assembled today for a public training at Parramatta Stadium as close to 100 media representatives descended on their only interview day before Sunday's match.

Cayless said the team, clear underdogs with bookmakers against 2007 champions the Storm, remained relaxed and focused after their win over the Bulldogs before 70,000-plus fans at ANZ Stadium. It was their 10th win from their last 11 matches.

"We've been under this sort of pressure for the last three months and we've just enjoyed it and embraced it. It's not going to be any different.

"It's a big week, grand final week, but it was a huge occasion last Friday and the boys seemed to handle that."

- NZPA