MARTIN SEES TEDESCO AS TOP TEST

AS fitness tests go, running at Cronulla juggernaut Andrew Fifita was hard to beat for recovering Cowboys playmaker Te Maire Martin.

“I think I would rather run at a bus,” Martin said yesterday.

But the Cowboys five- eighth believes the true test for his troublesome knee awaits in Friday night’s mustwin NRL clash with Wests Tigers – former teammate James Tedesco.

Martin said he had emerged unscathed since Cronulla zeroed in on his ongoing knee issue upon yet another return from injury in last round’s 26- 16 loss that put a dent in the Cowboys’ top eight hopes.

Sharks wrecking ball Fifita appeared hellbent on testing Martin, running straight at the playmaker throughout the Round 24 clash.

“I tried to tackle him three times in one carry I think,” Martin joked.

“The Sharks tested it ( knee). I got stuck in a few awkward places but finished the game so it is all good.”

Martin may be relieved his Fifita ordeal is over but admitted a more daunting task awaited in Tedesco.

After spending his Holden Cup days from 2014- 15 lining up against Tedesco in defensive drills, Martin believed the Tigers No. 1 was harder to stop than the hulking Fifita.

“Blink and he is gone. It’s not too much fun defending against him,” Martin said. “I would line up against him at training ( for defensive drills). I wasn’t too happy with that.

“Trying to tackle him, you just try and guess where he is going to be, you just close your eyes and jump at him.

“You can’t tackle him one on one. You need support around you. We will be working on our line speed.”

Now with six games under his belt since a mid- season switch from Penrith, Martin hoped to keep putting his body on the line to help the seventhplaced Cowboys seal a finals berth.

“It’s all part of the job. It’s what you have to do,” he said. “I think everyone is prepared to put their body on the line for the team.

“And I am at 100 per cent now pretty much ( with his knee). I don’t feel it too much anymore.”