The New Zealand Warriors and Penrith Panthers have been compelled to make significant late changes ahead of their crucial top-four matchup in Auckland this Friday night.
Te Maire Martin of the Warriors will not be participating due to a hamstring injury he unfortunately sustained during training earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Jack Cogger from Penrith is staying in Australia as he prepares for the birth of his child, leaving him unavailable for the match.
Cogger is expected to return next week, while Martin's recovery might take a couple of weeks due to the nature of his injury.
The severity of Martin's issue remains uncertain; however, he was seen at training with ice applied to his hamstring.
In response to Cogger's absence, the Panthers have elevated Blaize Talagi to the halves for this important fixture, whereas the Warriors have called upon Luke Metcalf to fill in for Martin.
Cogger only joined the squad last week, stepping in for Talagi, who was dropped by coach Ivan Cleary because of defensive concerns.
Despite Talagi's recent performance at the NSW Cup level, it remains to be seen if he can reclaim his position, particularly with Cogger's strong display alongside Nathan Cleary in a dominant win over the Canberra Raiders last week.
Conversely, Metcalf may be playing some of his final games for the Warriors as he has already signed on with the St George Illawarra Dragons for the upcoming season.