Tyrone Peachey is set to start at centre for tomorrow’s qualifying final against the Warriors, with the Panthers officially ruling Izack Tago out with a suspected pec injury.

Tago was in some doubt after reports emerged he’d injured his pec at training earlier in the week, with the 21-year-old limited to just 14 games this season due to pec and hamstring injuries.

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was asked how Tago was at his weekly press conference on Friday morning and simply replied with “we’re good”, while he offered a bit more when quizzed on Jarome Luai, saying “he’s going well” in relation to his recovery from a dislocated shoulder.

But it turns out they’re not all good with the team sheet confirming the injury news later that day.

It means Peachey will start at centre with Bulldogs-bound utility Jaeman Salmon the new man on the bench for what will be his final game as a Panther at BlueBet Stadium.

“I’m named 18th man so I’ll do everything for the team,” Salmon said on Thursday when it looked like he wouldn’t play.

“I’ll do the captain’s run with the team, warm up with the team and everything else, so I’m preparing as if I am going to play.

“Even if you’re on the bench as 18th man, someone could go down with foul play and an HIA which would mean I’m activated.

“It was just a better opportunity for more minutes at the Dogs.

“It’s also a good opportunity to be coached by Ciro (Cameron Ciraldo). He was coach here when I was here and he helped me a lot with my footy so I can’t speak highly enough of him.”

Cleary has had to deal with injuries throughout the year and must now contend with a Warriors side that will be missing Shaun Johnson (calf).

The veteran halfback is the favourite to win the Dally M Medal thanks to his league-high 30 try assists, with Ronald Volkman or Dylan Walker expected to partner Te Maire Martin in the halves.

“We’re prepared for more than one guy, so it doesn’t mean a hell of a lot,” Cleary said.

“It’s a big loss (for them) but I think every team has gone through losing key players throughout the season.

“As I said, we’re prepared for more than one player.

“We heard the news yesterday and we weren’t sure if it was true or not, and in the end we decided that we weren’t even going to discuss it, which we haven’t at this point, and I don’t think we’ll discuss it much this morning.

“We’re playing a very good team, and the most important thing for us is that we get our own game on.”

Cleary says an injury to a key player can sometimes make a team “more dangerous”, but he isn’t expecting the Warriors to completely switch up the game plan that has made them so successful in 2023 under new coach Andrew Webster.

“It’s not surprising (how they’re playing). Webby is an outstanding coach. No one else knew that, but we always knew,” Cleary said of his former assistant.

“He’s been over there before so he understood the culture, which was important.

“He’s a great guy, a great coach and a great person. He’s done a great job, so I’m happy for him – proud of him, actually.”