Penrith expect Nathan Cleary to train under lights on Friday night, with the superstar halfback stepping out of his moon boot ahead of the preliminary finals.
Cleary was on Tuesday named at No.7 to face Newcastle on Sunday, with Jack Cole keeping the five-eighth role and Jack Cogger returning from suspension on the bench.
Just one week after scans detected a "stress-related bone issue" which left Cleary's right foot in a moon boot, he has now cast the unwanted footwear off and is back completing gym work.
Penrith have been publicly vocal about their expectation that the NRL's best player will play, but on Tuesday made clear they had no real concerns about his ability to line up.
"It will be pretty light at the start of the week for him, but that will ramp up for our G2 session (on Friday) it will be all systems go," co-captain Isaah Yeo said.
“The week off has been really beneficial in that sense, that we've been able to really pull him back. But I think he will be right to go for the G2.
"As much as he doesn't like it he's probably had to (miss training) a bit over the years with injuries.
"Whether missing training or missing games, he has always been able to come back and hit the ground running."
Cleary's
If Cleary is to face the Knights, it will continue the Panthers' remarkable run of having their best players fit for finals matches.
Penrith have a 94 per cent availability rate for finals since their dynasty began in 2020, while no marquee player has missed a preliminary final or grand final through injury.
"We're not always fit, that's probably the biggest thing," hooker Mitch Kenny told AAP.
"It's probably a combination there. We've been pretty fortunate these past couple of years.
"But you couple that with having a head of athletic performance who has a really good understanding of when to push and when to pull back and manage loads."
Panthers players list Dylan Edwards' ability to play through stress fractures in his foot during the 2021 finals as the gutsiest they have seen.
Cleary himself has played through a serious shoulder injury in 2021, while also requiring surgery following the club's fourth successive premiership in 2024.
"We've developed a culture here that when the team needs you you are playing," Kenny said.
"You are playing through injury and playing busted, and putting the team above your own health.
"There have been some pretty crazy stories over the years. Now it's ingrained in us."
Beyond Cleary, Yeo's effort to return from a ruptured pectoral in just four weeks to play in this finals series could also join Edwards in the Panthers' annuls of gutsiest efforts.
The Penrith co-captain said on Tuesday that the situation had improved week on week since his round-27 return, to the point where he is still hopeful of playing in the World Cup.
"If I'm playing good enough footy I would like to put my hand up for it," Australia's Test captain said.
"In conversations with (coach) Kevvie (Walters) I have been pretty honest with him. But that's for a later day, I will sit down with the club as well.
"But for me I would certainly like to. It's the epitome of the game playing for your country. In the meantime I have other things to worry about first."
Meanwhile, Penrith centre Paul Alamoti will miss the preliminary final with his hamstring injury, with Blaize Talagi to again line up out wide.
