The Newcastle Knights have included cover for skipper Kalyn Ponga in their extended match squad should the fullback fail to recover from a hip-point injury to face Canterbury on Sunday.
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Ponga, who was struggling to walk after last week's loss to the Roosters and received pain-killing injections to get through the game, appears in some doubt to back-up against the Bulldogs.
He was named on Tuesday in his usual No.1 jersey for the 2pm clash at Accor Stadium, but the Knights included out-and-out fullback David Armstrong in their extended match squad.
Armstrong has been named in the extended squad for the first time this season, but his inclusion is not out of the ordinary given Will Pryce, who can also play fullback, has been one of the five extra players named in addition to the 1-17 most weeks as back-line cover.
The English recruit picked up an injury of his own in NSW Cup last start and was not included in this week's 22-man NRL squad.
Ponga is understood to have improved since Thursday's 22-20 defeat to the Roosters and is expected to be given every chance to take his place in Sydney.
Armstrong, who scored a double playing on the wing in a 40-minute stint during Newcastle's first pre-season fixture in February, is yet to make his NRL debut.
The 23-year-old has scored five tries in four NSW Cup games this year.
But he would not be the only option for coach Adam O'Brien should Ponga fail to line up at fullback.
Dane Gagai has previously played the position, and back-rower Dylan Lucas is more than capable of shifting to the centres.
Gagai took over the goal-kicking duties after Ponga suffered his injury in the first half at McDonald Jones Stadium last week.
The veteran centre, who is not a noted goal-kicker, slotted two from two to take his career record to 14 goals from 23 attempts.
O'Brien has retained the same 17 players that lost to the Roosters.
Back-rower Tyson Frizell remains sidelined with a hamstring tear and was not included in the squad.
The Knights, placed 14th after two wins in six matches, will be hoping to begin a stretch of away games with a victory over the Bulldogs, who they beat by a club-record score of 66-0 last year at the same venue.
Newcastle have already travelled to Townsville and New Zealand, not to mention Fiji in the pre-season, but they now have four away fixtures in the next five rounds before their first bye.
After the Bulldogs this week, they face the Dolphins (away), Warriors (home), Wests Tigers (away) and Gold Coast (away).
They'll travel to Sydney this weekend, make two trips to Queensland and take on the Tigers in Tamworth.
The Bulldogs, 15th and behind Newcastle on for-and-against only, have kept the same side that lost to Melbourne 16-14 last week.
Knights (vs Bulldogs)
1. Kalyn Ponga (C)
2. Greg Marzhew
3. Dane Gagai
4. Bradman Best
5. Enari Tuala
6. Jack Cogger
7. Jackson Hastings
8. Jacob Saifiti
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Leo Thompson
11. Dylan Lucas
12. Kai Pearce-Paul
13. Adam Elliott
Interchange bench
14. Phoenix Crossland
15. Daniel Saifiti
16. Jack Hetherington
17. Mat Croker
Extended match squad
18. Jed Cartwright
19. Brodie Jones
20. Tyson Gamble
21. David Armstrong
22. Tom Jenkins
