He was ruled out of State of Origin on Monday morning but injured Manly centre Jamie Lyon is poised to make a shock comeback and play Sunday's big match against NRL front-runners St George Illawarra.
Lyon was at rehab on Wednesday at Manly's Narrabeen headquarters and is now ready to confront the Dragons, despite an ankle injury rubbing him out of Wednesday's State of Origin match in Brisbane.
Because he was ruled out by the New South Wale medical staff, Lyon is free to play for Manly.
Lyon had scans on an ankle sprain, sustained in the Monday night match against the Bulldogs, before withdrawing from the Blues team.
He was replaced by Bulldogs centre Josh Morris.
"In the end, our medical staff will be the final judges," said Manly coach Des Hasler. "We will certainly give Jamie up until Sunday morning to prove his fitness."
NSWRL chief executive Geoff Carr said Lyon would not break any rules by playing the Dragons.
"A player can progress fast through a week," he said.
"If he hasn't recovered enough to train properly for NSW and we elect against using him, which we did, then if he wakes up feeling OK on Sunday, there is nothing to prevent him from playing for Manly."
Lyon was a reluctant NSW player this season but still played in the opening two matches against Queensland.
He will have intense physiotherapy this week in a bid to be be fit for Sunday's encounter.
"We know it is an established policy," said Dragons chief executive Peter Doust.
"He may have been ruled out because he couldn't train with NSW.
"That may not be the same with his club side because he knows all their plays.
"The NSW doctor ruled him out, so he can play (against us). We don't have a problem with that."
Hasler has named Steve Matai and Ben Farrar as his centre combination for the Dragons game.
Should Lyon play, Farrar would shift to the wing with Andrew Suniula expected to be dropped.
"Jamie was disappointed he was unable to be fit for the third State of Origin game," said Lyon's manager, George Mimis.
"However if he improves toward the back-end of the week, I'm sure that he will be keen to take his position for Manly."
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