Alan Tongue is five weeks ahead of his comeback schedule, training like he's ready to play and could be with his teammates on the plane to Melbourne on Saturday.
Don't be surprised if the injured Canberra Raiders skipper makes an unexpected appearance at AAMI Park on Sunday.
With a medical clearance and a desire to get back into the NRL, Tongue is on track to return to action after 13 weeks on the sideline.
And that could come sooner rather than later with the 29-year-old an outside chance of making a shock comeback against the Melbourne Storm.
But the veteran insisted he's not preparing to pull on the lime green jumper just yet.
After groin surgery in May left him just four games short of notching his 200th NRL game, Tongue is desperate to get on the field.
And he's trying to convince the Raiders to put him on a flight to Victoria, even if that means he's just there to support the team.
''I'm not too far away [from playing], it looks like I'm only a week or two away,'' Tongue said.
''I hope [I'm going down].
''But unless something goes dire straits with the team during the week, I don't think I'll be in this week.
''I'd like to think I was a chance [of playing], but I've sat out a fair chunk of footy already and to come back a bit too early would not be the right thing. I need to get right into training and into contact before I get that confidence and I'm right to go.''
Tongue has been Canberra's lucky charm over the past three weeks.
After playing just the first seven games of the season, Tongue joined David Furner in the coaches box for the Raiders' win over the Manly Sea Eagles earlier this month. The team hasn't been beaten since.
For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times
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