Gasnier & Asotasi

St George Illawarra centre Mark Gasnier will test his abdominal injury for the first time today as he chases a return for the Dragons preliminary final against Melbourne on Saturday.

Gasnier will attempt to run at full pace during today's training session at Wollongong - the first time he has extended himself since suffering the hip related injury in the finals win over Brisbane 12 days ago.

The Test centre says he won't play unless he is 100 per cent confident in his ability to play a full 80 minutes. He will wait until tomorrow before having a full contact session which is likely to decide his fate for the grand final decider. Gasnier has been named in the Dragons side but Darryl Millard is included on an extended bench and will play if he fails to come up fit.

Over at the Bulldogs, prop Roy Asotasi will complete a final fitness test on his injured knee this morning in a bid to prove himself right to play Brisbane in Friday's preliminary final at Aussie Stadium.

Asotasi has not played since the Bulldogs lost to Brisbane 30-0 five weeks ago, but has undergone extensive rehabilitation to repair the grade two medial ligament tear in his knee. The Kiwi international was cleared by his specialist on Tuesday to play this week but must convince coach Steve Folkes and team doctor Hugh Hazard he is fit to resume.

Asotasi has been named on the Bulldogs bench for tomorrow's clash.