Victor Radley will return for the Sydney Roosters' semi-final against Manly in a reprieve from the injury crisis that threatens the side's NRL premiership hopes.
Radley's rapid-fire three-week recovery from a fractured scapula looks set to help the Roosters recapture the physical intensity they missed in last week's qualifying-final loss to Penrith.
Coach Trent Robinson included Radley in his extended squad on Tuesday, a sign he was close to recovering, and later confirmed he would return to a side still missing Sam Walker and Brandon Smith.
"He's right to go," Robinson said on Friday morning.
"He's got one more thing to tick off this morning but he'll be ready to go.
"He's a pretty key player in the way that we've played over many years. He plays a high intensity style of play and he's key to how we want to play."
Radley is set to come onto the Roosters' right edge, having switched to the second row this season after years playing predominantly as a middle forward.
Bench forward Siua Wong appears the likeliest man to drop out of the 17 when the Roosters finalise their team ahead of Saturday night's sudden-death clash at Allianz Stadium.
Radley was hopeful he could return quickly from the injury he suffered during the loss to Canberra in round 26, when key players Smith and Walker also went down with serious injuries.
The 26-year-old Radley's injury had been similar to that which Cooper Cronk suffered in the lead-up to the 2018 grand final, the Roosters great famously playing through the pain to help win that decider.
Robinson wasn't always confident Radley would recover from the injury to face the Sea Eagles.
"I wasn't," Robinson said.
"I hardly gave it any energy, to when he was going to be back or not.
"It was more (a case of) medical would take care of that and when he crossed that line that he'd be ready to go, and he's done that.
"It's similar (to Cronk's injury) but Cooper required surgery and it was quite a significant sort of separation in the bone. It's the same spot but it's slightly different."
Easts are also bolstered by the inclusion of veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who returns from his latest ban for what could be his last game before joining English side Hull KR.
"(He's) ready to go," Robinson said.
"All of that sort of stuff (his exit) surrounds it but it's about playing 80 minutes and that's all he's focused on."
Waerea-Hargreaves has missed seven of the Roosters' past eight games through suspension but Robinson will not encourage the 35-year-old to curb his trademark aggression against Manly.
"He's got a style of play and we back Jared," the coach said.
"We're looking forward to him bringing that intensity from the start. We know the way he plays, everyone knows the way that he plays. We're backing him to be at his best tomorrow night."
