Roosters coach Trent Robinson expects his depleted pack's depth to be thoroughly tested by a dangerous Penrith side in Saturday's NRL qualifying final.
Rival coaches Robinson and Ivan Cleary are happy to embrace the tags of favourite and underdog respectively for the showdown at Allianz Stadium where the Roosters beat the Panthers 32-12 in their sole clash this season.
The defending champions and minor premiers appear to have timed their run to perfection, entering the finals on a six-match win streak.
However, Robinson's forward stocks have taken a hit with suspensions to Dylan Napa and Aidan Guerra, while Jake Friend and Frank-Paul Nuuausula are recovering from injury.
"It's a bit skinny. There's some depth tested there," Robinson said on Friday.
"But that's what squads are about. Most teams have gone through it.
"We've been lucky. For quite a long time we've had most of our players available and now we have to see how we go tomorrow."
Friend, who has missed one game after undergoing surgery to clear blood from his lungs, was running around at Friday's captain's run, but Robinson said the hooker wasn't a chance to play on Saturday.
However, he admitted if the game was an elimination final he might well have selected Friend, who he now definitely expects to play a part in the Roosters' finals campaign.
Penrith have made the finals for just the second time in the past 10 years but Cleary feels their battle to nail down a top four spot has put them in good stead.
"We've been playing pretty close to semi-finals footy for the last month really and every game's been meaningful," Cleary said.
"While a lot of our guys haven't really played semis I think we're about as ready as we can be.
"We don't go in with a siege mentality, no-one would really listen, but we are underdogs.
"That's what we are and that's what we've been all season.
"But we believe in our own game and we know what works for us and what doesn't and what has worked for us this year will work for us again tomorrow night if we're able to deliver it."
Robinson said the surprise packet Panthers had earned fourth spot and was wary of their game breakers in key positions.
"Playing especially off (hooker James) Segeyaro, (fullback Matt) Moylan and (halfback Jamie) Soward there, they've got some ad-lib footy with some big guys around them," Robinson said.
"They've got lots of rep experience around their team and they know how to play. They've really got a good structure about them, so very dangerous."
Asked if the mantle of favourite sat comfortably on the Roosters, Robinson said: "It has to. It has at different points last year and this year.
"We're not betting men but we understand where we're placed and what team we've got and we've got to deliver on that.
"We feel like we're in a good spot, we feel like we've worked hard to get to this point.
"We've struggled at different points during the season, but still picked up wins and finished in a good position with good momentum."
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