EDRICK Lee appears certain to make a long-awaited return to the NRL after being withdrawn from Newcastle's NSW Cup team to play against Manly at No.2 Sportsground on Sunday.
Lee was named earlier in the week to play in his fourth successive reserve-grade game, but the knee injury that Dominic Young suffered in Thursday night's 30-6 loss to the Sea Eagles at McDonald Jones Stadium prompted a change of plans.
With Young facing possible surgery and weeks on the sidelines, Lee suddenly emerged as the obvious option to replace him.
Rather than risk him in second grade, Knights coach Adam O'Brien has erred on the side of caution by asking the 29-year-old to stand down, on the basis that he will be named on Tuesday to play in Newcastle's round-six clash with St George Illawarra at Wollongong on Sunday.
It will be Lee's first NRL appearance since Newcastle's qualifying-final loss to South Sydney on October 4, 2020.
He subsequently played a State of Origin game for Queensland on November 18 that year, scoring a try on debut to help the Maroons win the series, before suffering a career-threatening broken bone in his foot early in the 2021 pre-season.
Lee did not play a game last year and the Knights feared he would be forced to retire.
But he was then offered a train-and-trial contract, which allowed him to gradually regain his fitness and confidence and earn a full-time deal.
He returned to playing in Newcastle's NSW Cup win against Wests Magpies on March 21 and has since strung together two more games in reserves, scoring a try in last week's 18-16 loss to Newtown.
At 196 centimetres and 100 kilograms, Lee shapes as a perfect like-for-like replacement for the 200cm, 107kg Young, who is Newcastle's leading tryscorer this year with three from five games.
The only issue would appear to be which edge he plays on.
Lee has been a left-side specialist throughout his 116-game NRL career, but Bradman Best and Enari Tuala have established a combination on that flank.
Lee did, however, successfully switch to right wing in his lone Origin game.
O'Brien's other dilemma will be finding a halfback for the crucial clash with the Dragons. Adam Clune appears certain to miss the showdown with his former club after also suffering a knee injury against Manly.
While he managed to play out the game, Clune's knee was heavily strapped and he was in obvious discomfort. It is understood he has been diagnosed with a strained posterior cruciate ligament, which is likely to rule him out for at least a game.
Phoenix Crossland would seem the leading contender to replace him, but his versatility off the bench allows him to cover the halves, lock and hooker.
The other option O'Brien might consider is pairing Kurt Mann and Jake Clifford in the halves, and choosing a traditional middle forward, such as Sauaso Sue, at lock to replace Mann.
