Despite being forced off the field, coughing up blood after a heavy tackle from South Sydney hooker Issac Luke last Monday, Bulldogs prop Jarrad Hickey is confident he'll be fit to face the Warriors at ANZ Stadium on Saturday.

Hickey was taken to hospital in the early stages of his side's 38-16 defeat by the Rabbitohs, but expects to be cleared to face a Warriors side who have been hit by the late withdrawal of centre Jerome Ropati.

Although the 24-year-old still needs to be given the all clear from doctors on Friday, he said he came through training unscathed and expected to play.

Ropati, who has a hamstring injury, will join an already crowded treatment room that contains skipper Simon Mannering as well as key men Manu Vatuvei, Michael Luck, Steve Price and Brett Seymour.

The match provides the perfect opportunity for the Bulldogs, who are 1-3, to get their stuttering season back on track and Hickey has denied his team are suffering from second-season syndrome following last year's success.

The Bulldogs lost just six times last year and the giant prop refuted suggestions the team are suffering from a hangover following an impressive 2009 that saw them just miss out on reaching the grand final.

However, he said the result against Souths, which came on the back of a thumping 60-14 win over Sydney Roosters in round three, was a strong reminder about not taking teams lightly.

"Sometimes you feel like you are running into sides who are in top-form when you play them," Hickey told AAP.

"Everyone is aware of us this year and having a good look at us ... and teams are putting in a lot more care into how they prepare to play us and that has shown in some of our results when he haven't been switched on early in the game.

"The game against Souths showed what happens when your attitude is not spot on, we were really focused for the Roosters game and won, but a few things went against us early on Monday and we were punished."

Saturday's match at ANZ Stadium will involve a special tribute by the Bulldogs to their former skipper Price, who this week announced that he would retire at the end of the season.

Price, 36, spent 11 seasons with Canterbury before his move across the Tasman to join the Warriors at the end of 2004.

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