Knights coach Adam O'Brien has resisted the temptation to rush returning backrower Lachan Fitzgibbon into his squad for Saturday night's clash against the Sydney Roosters as he continues to play the long game with his injured stars.
Fitzgibbon, who missed the opening seven rounds of the premiership after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction in the pre-season, has been given the all clear to make his comeback.
But the plan is for him to play 80 minutes against North Sydney in the NSW Cup rather than sit on the NRL bench.
At the same time, O'Brien has opted to err on the side of caution with wingers Edrick Lee [foot] and Hymel Hunt [hamstring] with both given an extra week to get over their injuries despite the club's precarious position on the ladder heading into the Roosters showdown.
The Knights have named an unchanged line-up from the side beaten by the Panthers last Thursday night.
O'Brien pulled Fitzgibbon aside yesterday to explain his reasoning behind why he is being left out of Newcastle's 17-man squad.
"I had a good chat to Adz [O'Brien] this arvo and given I didn't play a trial and I'm obviously short on match fitness, he wants me to come back in reggies which is fair enough," Fitzgibbon told the Newcastle Herald.
"He couldn't guarantee how much time I would get if I started on the bench against the Roosters. I need to be playing as many minutes as possible so the plan is to play the full 80 in Cup.
"The shoulder feels really good so I'm just looking forward to getting back out there and getting a run under my belt."
O'Brien praised his backrower's application to his rehab with Fitzgibbon returning almost three weeks ahead of schedule.
"He was outstanding [in rehab], he shaved about three weeks off the injury so his application to his rehab is a great symbol to all our players. I'm really happy with him," O'Brien said.
"He's done everything asked of him from the physical performance unit and he's spent a fair bit of time with the team now. But not knowing how much time he'll get off the bench in first grade, I just think it's more beneficial for him to play as many minutes as he can in Cup."
O'Brien says it is wise to play the long game with Lee and Hunt.
Like Fitzgibbon, Lee is yet to play a game this season after breaking his foot in his first week of pre-season training in January after he joined the squad late following his Origin experience with the Maroons.
Hunt missed the Penrith game after straining his hamstring against Cronulla the previous week
"In terms of Edrick's injury healing, I think everyone is happy with that. But it is a shortened pre-season with him and we've waited this long now so I think seven more days will be good for Edrick," O'Brien said.
The Roosters have named James Tedesco at fullback for the game but there is doubt over whether he will play following his concussion against the Dragons on Sunday. O'Brien believes Roosters coach Trent Robinson will likely pull him out.
"I think the Roosters have publicly led the way with the HIA," O'Brien said.
"It's a very similar one we had with Kurt [Mann] a couple of weeks ago. He failed a HIA and it was a six-day turnaround [and we didn't play him] so I probably think they will err on the side of caution there given what Robbo has done in the past."
As for the threat of teenage halfback Sam Walker, O'Brien said: "He's a super talent. To come in without Luke Keary and do what he's done even magnifies it more. He'll chance his arm, he plays each play. He's a great young talent.
"We understand we need to defend well with him and we probably need to send some traffic at him. That's no surprise, everyone has tried to do it but the kid aims up. But I don't put all the eggs in the Sam Walker basket. They've got quality all across the park."
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