Waratahs coach Chris Hickey has declared Phil Waugh and Wycliff Palu certain starters ahead of Saturday's do-or-die clash against the Highlanders at the SFS.
The veteran duo, who have both been sidelined for seven weeks with hamstring injuries, trained strongly on Thursday morning in a major boost for the injury-hit Waratahs.
"They've been back here while we've been in South Africa working very hard on their programs so we're fully confident that both those players will be right to take the park," Hickey, who will delay the naming of his squad until Friday morning, said on Thursday.
Hickey is also confident prop Benn Robinson (foot) and winger Lachie Turner (hamstring) can overcome injuries suffered against the Bulls last weekend in time to face the Highlanders.
Robinson and Turner both sat out Thursday's session and will be given until Friday to prove their fitness.
"Robbo's improving every day so if he can rest it for another 48 hours then I'm pretty confident that he'll be right to play on Saturday night," Hickey said.
"I'm sure that if we rest these players and manage them properly that they'll be ready to get out and play on Saturday night."
"We've been training for 18 weeks so training's not necessarily the priority at this stage of the season, it's about getting blokes on the park in as good a condition as we possibly can."
"If that means we have to wait until Friday then that's the time frame we'll work on."
Meanwhile, Hickey rejected suggestions consecutive losses to the Sharks and Bulls in South Africa have left his side at the mercy of the Super Rugby gods.
"We still feel it's in our hands because if we can win the next two games we're still controlling our destiny," he said.
"If you look at the other games the Sharks have got to play the Bulls (in the final round) and the Bulls have to play the Stormers, so teams are going to lose points in those games."
"We still feel that if we can win the next two games that we've got a very good chance of playing in the finals series."
The Waratahs sit in seventh spot with two rounds remaining, two points adrift of the Bulls and four behind the fifth-placed Sharks.
While two victories would leave NSW in the box seat to claim sixth spot, Hickey concedes they may in fact need a bonus-point victory against the Highlanders to be safe.
"We'll take a bonus point if it's there, definitely," he said.
"At this stage of the season it's going to be very tight for that last couple of positions in the six, and if a bonus point is there to take we're happy to take it, and at the end of the day you don't know whether that might be the deciding factor."
But Hickey insists his side won't be taking the Highlanders lightly.
"They're a much-improved team this year, they've probably been the team that's made the most progress out of all the Super Rugby sides," he said.
"We know their defence is good, they've worked hard in that area, and they're also very, very competitive at the breakdown."