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Injured Sydney Roosters duo Boyd Cordner and Luke O'Donnell must play in Sunday's NRL Grand Final against Manly regardless of whether they are fully fit or not, according to club legend Luke Ricketson.
Ricketson, a veteran of 301 games for the Chooks, famously played in the 2002 decider with a hamstring he says was 50-50 at best.
Both Cordner (ankle syndesmosis) and O'Donnell (hamstring) were left out of coach Trent Robinson's 17-man squad named on Tuesday.
But the star duo remain in the frame after completing training on Wednesday and Ricketson urged them to roll the dice and play on Sunday night.
"I think you've just got to get yourself there for grand final day," Ricketson said.
"I remember in 2002 I was never playing all week and I got two days out and miraculously sort of got better.
"The coaching staff gave me up until game day to actually make a decision on the day and looking back on it now if I saw the boys doing a victory lap without me it would have been devastating.
"If you're a winger with a hamstring or an ankle or knee problem it might be a little bit different.
"Obviously if you're 50-50 it's a bit of a tough call but if you're okay to get out there and do what you need to do to get over the line you should definitely play."
Cordner hasn't played since the Round 22 clash against Canberra but Ricketson has no concerns over the 21-year-old's lack of recent game time.
"It's changed dramatically since the old days, they don't sort of sit in a pool and do kick-board or something quiet with the physio," he said.
"From all reports he's been training the house down and his aerobic fitness will be fine, I don't think there's an issue with that.
"It's obviously a timing thing and hopefully the boys have been putting him through his straps the last couple of weeks.
"Look, it's always a bit of an issue (when a player returns from a long layoff) but I think the professionalism of Boyd and his attitude are two big things the Roosters need."
When asked who will win the final game of the season, Ricketson said: "I'm still heart and head thinking the Roosters.
"I think it'll be a very tough game, the two forward packs will be at each other for the whole entire game and I'm just hoping that the Roosters will have bit of class at the back end.
"Our halves in (Mitchell) Pearce and (James) Maloney are playing so well, Sonny (Bill Williams) has just been playing fantastic for us and I think Mini (Anthony Minichiello) has got a big game in him, he's excited for the match so I'm hoping we can get over them.
"I don't think it'll be 4-0, I think there'll be a few more points than that and I'm hoping for a bit of class in the last 10 or 15 minutes."
Ricketson, a veteran of 301 games for the Chooks, famously played in the 2002 decider with a hamstring he says was 50-50 at best.
Both Cordner (ankle syndesmosis) and O'Donnell (hamstring) were left out of coach Trent Robinson's 17-man squad named on Tuesday.
But the star duo remain in the frame after completing training on Wednesday and Ricketson urged them to roll the dice and play on Sunday night.
"I think you've just got to get yourself there for grand final day," Ricketson said.
"I remember in 2002 I was never playing all week and I got two days out and miraculously sort of got better.
"The coaching staff gave me up until game day to actually make a decision on the day and looking back on it now if I saw the boys doing a victory lap without me it would have been devastating.
"If you're a winger with a hamstring or an ankle or knee problem it might be a little bit different.
"Obviously if you're 50-50 it's a bit of a tough call but if you're okay to get out there and do what you need to do to get over the line you should definitely play."
Cordner hasn't played since the Round 22 clash against Canberra but Ricketson has no concerns over the 21-year-old's lack of recent game time.
"It's changed dramatically since the old days, they don't sort of sit in a pool and do kick-board or something quiet with the physio," he said.
"From all reports he's been training the house down and his aerobic fitness will be fine, I don't think there's an issue with that.
"It's obviously a timing thing and hopefully the boys have been putting him through his straps the last couple of weeks.
"Look, it's always a bit of an issue (when a player returns from a long layoff) but I think the professionalism of Boyd and his attitude are two big things the Roosters need."
When asked who will win the final game of the season, Ricketson said: "I'm still heart and head thinking the Roosters.
"I think it'll be a very tough game, the two forward packs will be at each other for the whole entire game and I'm just hoping that the Roosters will have bit of class at the back end.
"Our halves in (Mitchell) Pearce and (James) Maloney are playing so well, Sonny (Bill Williams) has just been playing fantastic for us and I think Mini (Anthony Minichiello) has got a big game in him, he's excited for the match so I'm hoping we can get over them.
"I don't think it'll be 4-0, I think there'll be a few more points than that and I'm hoping for a bit of class in the last 10 or 15 minutes."
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