Middle Roosters Head Coach Trent Robinson all smiles at Sydney Roosters training session today prior to the Roosters Vs Bulldogs semi final round 28 this friday night. Photography Brendan Esposito smh,sport,14th September,2015 Photo: Brendan Esposito

Roosters back-rower Aidan Guerra admits fatigue is setting in late in the season, but is confident it will not result in more premature Mad Monday celebrations for the three-time minor premiers. 

The Rugby League Players' Association has been fighting for better conditions for its players, most notably trying to abolish five-day turn arounds and extending annual leave at the end of a season from six weeks to eight. 

Guerra is a case in point - he has played 20 matches for the Roosters to go with his three Origin appearances. He of all players will be keen for a break after a gruelling season. 

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But rather than look for the light at the end of the tunnel, Guerra has his sights set on firing his troops up against the Bulldogs, albeit with a few niggles that are part and parcel of the game. 

"You've just got to come over what you're battling and push on to come out and chase the dream," Guerra said. "If you ask any player in the NRL they're going to say the same thing that their body is sore. I'm no different, but it's finals football and you can't dwell on that. You've got to put that behind you, there's niggles all throughout the competition." 

Guerra backed the RLPA's decision to go head-to-head with the NRL over player welfare. 

"It was 10 months ago we started training," Guerra said. "Teams are sometimes back at the end of October and that's just not quite long enough, so they're trying to get longer there. 

"There's always going to be that Origin lull, that's the way it is. The NRL is changing that formula in the coming years, so it's about what they [the RLPA] can do to fix this problem." 

As much as they deny it, the prospect of blowing three consecutive minor premierships will be in the back of the Roosters' minds, who Guerra said got a proper "reality check" after their 20-18 qualifying finals loss to Melbourne on Friday night. 

"We've gotta learn a quick lesson from the game against the Storm," Guerra said. "Semi finals football is a completely different beast. You've got to go out there and play your best footy otherwise you're going to be spat out the other end and that was us on Friday night.

"There's a chance there that we won't go all the way because every game now we have to win. There's a belief in this side that if we do play our best, then we can win."