Wests Tigers superstar Benji Marshall is set to defy doctors' orders and make a shock return in Friday's must-win NRL clash against Canterbury.
Marshall has been sidelined since Round 5 with a turf toe injury suffered against Melbourne.
The 28-year-old was originally scheduled to return in a fortnight against South Sydney.
But with nine of his team-mates unavailable through injury, including halves Braith Anasta (groin) and Tim Moltzen (knee), Marshall is planning to play through the pain in a desperate bid to snap the Tigers' four-game losing streak.
"Benji's done a little bit this morning to try and prove his fitness and he's ticked a couple of boxes and he's got a few more left to do," coach Mick Potter said at Concord Oval on Thursday morning.
"It'll also depend on how he pulls up tomorrow, if he does tick all the rest of the boxes today."
Pressed on whether the Kiwi international is a genuine chance of playing against the Bulldogs, Potter replied: "Well he thinks he is so you can only go by what he's saying. There might be some sort of residual soreness or swelling but we'll give him right to the last minute, so he thinks he's a chance,
"The physio and the doctor are a little bit more reluctant, but he wants to play and that's the attitude you want to have in your players - that they want to help the team."
But Potter concedes rushing his star playmaker back early is a big gamble.
"Yeah it is (a risk) and that's the assessment you have to do in conjunction with the professionals that are around to help you to help," he said.
"I'll take their advice, as well as talking to Benji and our coaching staff, so it'll be a joint sort of decision I'd say."
Even if Marshall does make a shock return, the Tigers will be forced to field one of the most inexperienced line-ups in NRL history against a Bulldogs side starting to find form.
But Potter backed the next generation to step up against last season's grand-finalists.
"It's a chance for them. Everyone wants a chance and these guys have got it, and I'm happy to give it to them," Potter said.
"They've trained all season in the full-time squad and I think there's a bright future for the club but at the moment it's about winning the game this weekend and that's what we're focusing on."