Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade says only an adverse recovery from Friday's final training session will stop defender Dale Morris lining up against St Kilda in Saturday night's preliminary final.
Morris had been written off when he fractured a vertebrae in his back in the Round 21 loss to Sydney at the SCG, with specialists telling the club he would be in pain for about three weeks with the injury.
But within a week-and-a-half the 27-year-old was painfree and running again, with doctors on Tuesday clearing him to return this weekend for the most difficult job in the team playing on Nick Riewoldt.
"Yeah I suppose it depends how he pulls up but I would think he's 95 percent (certain to play)," Eade said after training on Friday morning at Whitten Oval.
"I would think how he pulls up tomorrow (will decide his fate). I would think we should know by lunchtime."
Eade labelled Morris an 'amazing character' for getting back on the track as quickly as he has, although he admitted luck may have played a part but he was quick to point out that the club won't be taking a risk by playing an unfit player.
"No, not at all," he added when asked if the Dogs were taking a punt playing Morris.
"Not the role he plays and the structure he gives us."
"Even if he doesn't play well he just helps other players around him, he's a good leader."
"And he's such a competitor so I don't think it's going to be so much his fitness levels, it's just about the fact that he hasn't played for three or four weeks whether his touch and that sort of thing is in place but certainly from our point of view it's not a gamble."
Eade admitted that Morris will need support playing on Riewoldt because of how fit and mobile he is but said Mitch Hahn, who made way for Morris' return this week, had paid the price for an indifferent year and slow start in the semi-final win over the Swans.
"Yeah he's a bit stiff Mitch," Eade said.
"His form probably hasn't been great I suppose, he's had an up and down year with the facial fracture that he had and just had a slow first half last week."
"(He was) a little bit better (in the) second half but he's certainly taken that (being dropped) in his stride."
Ryan Griffen, who started the finals series carrying a knee injury, left the track early but Eade was unconcerned about his star midfielder while he also said on-baller Adam Cooney was little better than a 'long shot' of returning from a hamstring injury for the grand final if the Dogs get there.