Jason Saab says it would be "flawed" to crown the NRL's fastest player with a sprint on grand final day, given he plans to be unavailable through playing commitments in the decider.
The Manly speedster regularly features in public discourse about the NRL's quickest athletes, a debate that could finally be settled as the league deliberates introducing a 100-metre race to its showpiece event.
"I don’t think I have to make those opinions. You just have to ask around and you’ll get a very common answer," said Saab, who has been clocked at speeds about 37km/h.
The mooted race would feature a participant from all 17 NRL clubs, though specifics as to timing and possible financial incentives have not been publicly announced.
Along with Saab, Canterbury flyer Josh Addo-Carr and Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow are popular choices as the NRL's fastest player, with the latter chasing down the former in a footrace during the Bulldogs' win on Saturday.
Saab's teammate Tolu Koula, once a high school sprint champion, would be another contender, while Sydney Roosters behemoth Dom Young is also blessed with speed.
But a problem inevitably arises because none of the players in either of the grand finalists' best 17 would be able to participate.
All of Saab, Addo-Carr, Tabuai-Fidow, Young and Koula could hypothetically be unavailable given their clubs remain in contention for the finals, and grand final, with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
Saab said he plans not to be available for the race, questioning its legitimacy as a tool for actually determining the league's fastest player.
"I probably won’t participate in it because we’ll have a game that day," said Saab, whose Sea Eagles sit sixth on the ladder.
"The way they’re going about it seems pretty flawed, to be honest. I just think it’s interesting to do it on grand final day because I’m sure there’s bound to be a couple of (fast) players that are going to be playing.
"How do you crown the fastest person when the fastest people aren’t running in it?"
On top of that, players who are not contesting the grand final could already be away on leave at the time of the decider, a problem the AFL encounters in its own grand final day sprint.
Brendan Fevola and Max King are among previous winners of the AFL's grand final race, both key forwards unlikely to rate as their club's fastest player if all were available.
Questions would also arise as to how players' recent workloads could curtail their speed.
"Some players might get a three-week rest (if their team hasn’t made the finals), while others might have a prelim final the week before," Saab said.
"There are a few ways that mean it doesn’t work out too well, but maybe a separate event would be better.
"It’s interesting to see what they’ll come up with, but I don’t want to be there. I want to be playing in the grand final."
Saab's comments came as Manly received good news on fellow outside back Tommy Talau, who AAP has been told will only miss one week with a pectoral injury.
