Nathan Cleary is carrying a stress-related foot injury into Penrith's finals campaign, with the problem affecting his kicking against the Sydney Roosters.
The Panthers expect their playmaker to appear in the preliminary final in two weeks, though his fitness remains uncertain.
Andrew Johns has urged teams to exploit injured opponents during finals matches.
Speaking on Nine's Freddy and The Eighth, Johns asked Brad Fittler: "If you're coaching against Nathan, are you telling your players to stand on it and stomp on it? Every scrum, stand on it," Johns said.
Fittler replied, "Do whatever you can," while discussing how opponents should challenge Cleary.
Cronulla's Braydon Trindall faces a similar test against the Sydney Roosters on Saturday after returning from a shoulder injury in the elimination-final win over North Queensland.
Trindall is expected to play despite not being fully fit, and Cronulla's premiership hopes depend heavily on him.
He has produced 30 try assists this season, while the Sharks' form declined sharply during his late-season absence.
Penrith will use their week off to help Cleary recover, but both playmakers are preparing to continue through significant pain.