GRIFFITH Demons US star Leon Rosborough will be given until the eleventh hour to prove his fitness ahead of his side's must win State League clash with Sutherland tomorrow.
The athletic power forward has been racing the clock all week to overcome an injured ankle sustained against Illawarra last weekend, with team officials saying he has responded well to treatment and may play despite some existing pain.
Rated only a "50-50" chance of playing on Wednesday, the Yenda Blueheelers and Hanwood Football Club came forward offering their preferred physiotherapy services to the former Vanguard University player.
"I've had a lot of response from the article (in Wednesday's The Area News) so if I can exhaust all of these avenues (rehabilitation) and he can't take the court then at least we know we couldn't have done anything more," Demons coach Andrew Cullen said.
"I didn't expect that (other club's help) but I'm pretty happy to know that people are following the side and their response was that they feel for the team and Leon for what's happened."
If Rosborough is unable to suit-up for what essentially is the first of three grand finals back-to-back for Griffith, it will cause a massive reshuffle in the team's structure.
Remaining big men Adam O'Callaghan and Corey Ryan will have to shoulder more of the aggressive dirty work under the basket, while at the same time trying to stay out of foul trouble in defence.
If either one was to be hit with a number of fouls early in the game it will be an early blow to the Demons' chances of extending their post-season by another week.
However, Cullen said if Rosborough is unable to play then hope is not lost, pointing to last year's State League semi-final nail-biter against the Dubbo Rams at West End Stadium.
In that clash Chris Sibraa torched the visitors to the tune of 39 points, 28 of which came in the second-half thanks to accurate shots from the perimeter and slashing drives to the basket.
"That's what the team's all about, it's designed so that somebody might do that I said all year he could do it ad he came right at the right moment, I've got five guys out there this year that could have a 30-point game," Cullen said.
Steve McCanna is the other playing concern for Griffith with the forward's ankle injury improving enough for him to run on Tuesday, however, he still has to dodge suspension for his shoving watch with Wagga two weeks ago, with the judiciary expected to be held last night.
"There's no doubt about they'll be rounded (style wise), to me we'll just have to play who's in front of us," Cullen said of Sutherland.
"If we have a weakness they will exploit it, and it's how we combat that that will determine how we go.
"At the end of the day the team attitude is spot on, the team thought we were a step behind last weekend because the hunger wasn't there, that wasn't my perspective it was everybody's, but it'll be there 110 per cent on Saturday."
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