Injured Manly fullback Brett Stewart still has a role to play in the Sea Eagles' push towards a second premiership in three years - but it will be off the field.
The brilliant No.1 has not been sighted since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Round 1 but there have been whispers he may have been set for a shock return before the play-offs.
Coach Des Hasler knocked that prospect firmly on the head on Wednesday, declaring Stewart would not play again this year.
But the wounded star is putting his time on the sideline to good use, tutoring stand-in custodian Ben Farrar on the finer points of fullback play.
"He's just started his rehab now and is building really nicely," Hasler said of Stewart.
"He'll have a really good off-season and he’ll be back on deck in 2011."
"But he's always around the joint and it's always good to have him."
"He's still part of the team in that sense. He's still training here."
Stewart's advice has been invaluable for Farrar, a centre manufactured into a fullback.
The pair compares notes before every game, discussing positional play and opposition players.
"I talk to 'Snake' (Stewart) a fair bit. He's been really good," Farrar said.
"Obviously he knows the position pretty well so it'd be silly not to learn from him and get his advice and tips."
"But everyone knows No.1 is his jumper so I'd be more than glad to give that up when he comes back."
That scenario may not unfold, with Farrar out of contract at the end of the NRL season.
The former Cowboy is desperate to remain at Brookvale but is getting anxious over the delay in negotiations with the club.
"It's a bit frustrating. It's dragged on a little bit. You want to get those things over and done quickly but that's the way it is, that's modern day football," he said.
"You've got to let the people who deal with those things work it out."
"I'm just seeing what happens over the next week or two and hopefully we can get something stitched up soon."
Manly has got its season back on track with consecutive wins over Cronulla and the Tigers and can make another down payment on a top-four berth with victory over Newcastle at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Monday night.