Penrith’s Liam Martin and Casey McLean insist they will be fit to play in Sunday’s grand final qualifier against Brisbane after being forced from the field in the Panthers semi-final thumping of Canterbury.
Martin was in obvious discomfort after he was tackled by former teammate Viliame Kikau, with the NSW and Kangaroos star staying down and struggling to breathe late in the contest.
The 28-year-old came from the field and struggled to make his way up the Accor Stadium tunnel at one point, but he was in good spirits soon afterwards and said he was not concerned about any recurrence of a rib cartilage injury he carried through last year’s finals.
“They’re all right now,” Martin said of his ribs after full-time.
“There was a bit of carry-on there. It’s a bit sore at the moment, but they’