The return of Luke Keary from a lengthy concussion lay-off could not come at a better time for the Sydney Roosters as the depleted club battles to make the NRL finals.
The Roosters, who snapped a four-game losing streak on Saturday with an 54-26 win over St George Illawarra, currently sit in ninth spot and face five top-eight sides in the last seven weeks of the season.
But the victory over the Dragons came at a cost, with Sitili Tupouniua and Billy Smith succumbing to suspected ACL injuries and prop Siosiua Taukeiaho also picking up a cheekbone injury.
The good news for head coach Trent Robinson is playmaker Keary is expected to run out in Friday's visit to Newcastle, and that front-rower Jared Waerea-Hargreaves could return from a hamstring injury.
Robinson found a winning formula by shifting Joey Manu to the No. 6 jersey in Keary's four-week absence but Manu is expected to return to centre, with Keary going into the halves alongside Sam Walker.
"I think he (Keary) trained all week so he's looking good this week," Walker said.
"He's an unbelievable footballer and he's won multiple premierships.
"The leadership he'll bring coming back into our team will be huge for us and we'll definitely need it at the back end of this year."
Waerea-Hargreaves, who was close to coming back in the Roosters' past two games but was twice ruled out soon before kick-off, has again been listed as a possible starter.
After Friday's game with Newcastle the Roosters face Manly, Brisbane, North Queensland, the Wests Tigers, Melbourne and arch rivals South Sydney to open the new Sydney Football Stadium.
Walker said the squad were aware of the task ahead of them and was certain they would play deep into September.
"We need to win pretty much all of our games going into the finals," he said. "I'm looking forward to the challenge.
"That's why you play, you want to have the pressure on you.
"I love that pressure that we'll be facing needing to win most of our games going into the finals and it'll give us a good confidence boost when we do make the finals.
"We're not just here to make the finals, we want to win it and that's the belief we have in this club."
Meanwhile, Walker said he wouldn't follow the lead of club teammate Victor Radley, who pledged his representative allegiance to England on Sunday.
Born in Leeds but raised in Brisbane, Walker said: "I'm a proud Queenslander."
