Lachie Weller is literally knocking on his coach's door to secure an AFL return for Gold Coast's crucial Darwin double-header.
And Stuart Dew would love to welcome the smooth mover back, but the coach is wary of rushing after his latest knee injury.
Dew said Weller returned to running last Friday and was "half a chance" to face Western Bulldogs at TIO Stadium on Saturday after pestering the coach about a return to play Brisbane on the weekend.
"He'll play in the next one to three weeks. He's confident, actually knocked on my door a couple of days ago," Dew said.
"We want to be 100 per cent with this one."
Weller has missed three weeks in his latest setback after making a fine return from an ACL tear earlier this season.
Rory Atkins has found a home at half-back in Weller's absence but Dew admitted Weller's all-round package would be handy to have at his disposal.
"You can put him anywhere," Dew said.
"If you want prototype footballer ... it'd be nice to have him back."
Captain and midfielder Touk Miller (knee) has also been out but the Suns' engine room have managed that absence well to sit 4-6 and a win outside the top eight.
They trailed the Lions by just five points early in the final quarter on Saturday before losing by 43.
It followed wins over Richmond and West Coast and a tight five-point loss to Melbourne.
Back-to-back Darwin games against the in-form Bulldogs and Adelaide now loom as pivotal in the Suns' quest for a maiden finals campaign.
"We've got to stay the course; we've had a pretty consistent six weeks from a mindset point of view," Dew said.
"It feels like every fortnight is important; every month, every week. So it's relentless in that sense,
"But that's that's the way it is and that's because it's so even. Everyone's on the hook."
