St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett would not reveal how Canberra recruit Bronx Goodwin will be used in tonight's Charity Shield clash after he was rushed into the Dragons line-up to replace the injured Matt Cooper.
Goodwin trained with the team at WIN Stadium yesterday morning while centre Cooper, struggling with a hamstring strain, watched from the grandstand.
The Dragons suffered a blow last Saturday when Peni Tagive suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in his right knee, which will almost certainly keep him out for the season.
Full coverage of the Dragons It leaves Bennett with a selection headache to cover Cooper with Goodwin, young gun Kyle Stanley and Jason Nightingale all in contention. But none appear to be an ideal solution as cover for Cooper this season.
Goodwin's preferred position is fullback, while Stanley starred at five-eighth in the under 20 competition last season and is touted as a utility off the bench this year.
Nightingale is the natural successor to the recently retired Wendell Sailor on the right wing, but has mostly played on the left.
"We're not going to risk anyone in the trial matches so he (Cooper) won't play," captain Ben Hornby said yesterday.
Stanley said he was ready for another testing NRL initiation tonight.
"I could play anywhere in the backs, but mainly five-eighth," he said yesterday.
"Anywhere in the backs is fine by me. If anyone gets injured in the backline, I'll put my hand up for it."
Hornby was confident second-rower Ben Creagh would take his place in the team, despite appearing to be troubled by an ankle complaint at the end of yesterday's training session in Wollongong.
"He looks like he got through the session all right, so he's a chance of playing," Hornby said.
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